UNAIDS report shows: despite crisis, the region has tools for a breakthrough — if we act together

On July 15, 2025, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) released its global report “AIDS, Crisis, and the Power of Transformation,” highlighting troubling trends in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) — the only region in the world where both new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths have increased since 2010

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Key facts from the EECA region:

• New HIV infections have increased by 7% since 2010
• AIDS-related deaths have risen by 48%
• Total number of people living with HIV: 2.1 million

UNAIDS experts emphasize that the region is facing serious structural barriers: stigma against key populations, political restrictions on NGOs, and a reduction in external funding are undermining HIV prevention and treatment efforts

Prevention in crisis — but civil society refuses to give up

HIV prevention in EECA is undergoing a deep crisis. Coverage among key populations remains critically low, and new infections continue to rise

Even basic prevention services, such as oral PrEP, are still not fully reaching those in need — revealing the magnitude of the gap between access and global targets

In 34 countries of Europe and Central Asia that submitted data, only 284,846 people received PrEP at least once in the past 12 months. This remains far below the regional target of reaching 500,000 people per year by 2025

“It’s an effective and convenient prevention tool that doesn’t require daily adherence. Yet, unfortunately, not a single EECA country has been included in the Global Fund’s global lenacapavir rollout initiative. I call on the Global Fund to include our region — we must not be left out of global progress.

I also want to emphasize the importance of expanding access to more convenient forms of opioid agonist therapy, (OAT), such as extended-release depot buprenorphine — a monthly injection. These approaches are vital in EECA, where access to take-home OAT is very limited.

Initiatives like the regional iSoS project demonstrate that innovation, partnership, and community involvement are key to building a sustainable and effective response,” said Tetiana Deshko, Director: International Programs, Alliance for Public Health.

Commenting on the discussion, UNAIDS Regional Director Eamonn Murphy stressed that despite the current crisis, the region stands at a turning point — and what matters now is action:

“The HIV response in EECA is at a crossroads. Yes, we face serious challenges: declining funding, restructuring of offices, and changing donor priorities. But we have opportunities — and we must focus on them.”

He added that UNAIDS continues its efforts to maintain presence in the region and ensure that Eastern Europe and Central Asia remain a clearly visible focus. He also noted that only through joint efforts — including the strong involvement of civil society — can the HIV response remain resilient. This is not UNAIDS’ responsibility alone. Everyone must act together: civil society, regional networks — all play a key role

Community voices are loud — despite growing challenges

At the report launch, Aleksey Lakhov, Executive Director of EuroNPUD, reminded participants of a key document: “Breaking the Chains: Supporting Community Leadership and Human Rights for a Sustainable HIV Response,” prepared by the NGO delegation to the UNAIDS PCB in 2024. According to him:

“The manifesto makes it clear: without community involvement, there is no sustainable progress. Despite funding cuts, armed conflicts, and mounting pressure on civil society, communities are not giving up

Civil society organizations continue providing thousands of consultations. In Kazakhstan and Ukraine, online outreach is expanding. In Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine, through a UNITAID-supported initiative, communities are co-developing services — from low dead space syringes to extended-release buprenorphine

Educational platforms like the HIV Justice Academy and ARV procurement monitoring efforts show strong community leadership. But these initiatives need three things: freedom from repression, sustainable funding, and equal participation in decision-making.”

Funding: available, but uneven and unstable

Despite substantial investments in antiretroviral therapy (ART), current regional funding will only allow for 60% of diagnosed people living with HIV to access treatment by 2030. Even with improved efficiency, coverage will not exceed 80%

ART costs vary dramatically — from $120 per patient annually in Armenia to $6,778 in Serbia. While most countries now fund treatment from domestic budgets, prevention, services for key populations, and rights-based approaches remain almost entirely dependent on international donors

UNAIDS calls for:

• expanding domestic HIV financing,
• developing sustainable national plans,
• ensuring the participation and protection of communities

Digital technologies as a driver of resilience

Amid rapid reductions in international funding, EECA countries are being forced to explore new approaches to sustaining HIV programs. The iSoS project demonstrates how innovation can provide a practical path forward — moving from traditional donor dependence to more resilient and transparent models

“With international funding shrinking, this project’s interventions provide a timely and practical response, supporting countries in the EECA region to transition toward stronger, more sustainable HIV programs by effectively bridging Web3 and Web2 technologies

Utilizing Web3 and AI tools, the initiative facilitates a shift away from traditional donor dependence toward innovative, transparent, and community-led financing models, integrated seamlessly with existing Web2 infrastructure and practices,” emphasized Keti Kobeshavilli, Project Lead at SEH

According to her, by the project’s end, several important outcomes are expected:

• successful integration and piloting of AI-powered tools to ensure continuity of services and uninterrupted access to essential HIV care — especially during crises;
• enhanced digital literacy and resilience of civil society, enabling them to use Web3 technologies to more effectively mobilize resources;
• the emergence of new, fairer, more accountable, and crisis-resilient health systems that better respond to community needs

“This intentional integration between public health systems rooted in Web2 and emerging Web3 solutions presents significant opportunities to build fairer, more accountable, and crisis-resilient health systems, ensuring sustainable impacts and ongoing responsiveness to community needs,” she added

On June 25, 2025, Andriy Klepikov, Executive Director of the Alliance for Public Health, delivered a powerful address at the European Parliament’s Committee on Public Health (SANT Committee).

He presented the analytical report “The EU’s Role in Overcoming the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Ukraine”  and outlined key policy recommendations. This brief highlights how the EU can support the fight against these diseases and integrate this effort into Ukraine’s EU accession process.

The report was prepared in the context of the full-scale war in Ukraine, where the national healthcare system, despite immense challenges, continues to maintain control over the HIV and tuberculosis epidemics. His speech emphasized the crucial role of funding from the European Union, particularly through the Global Fund, which serves as the primary mechanism supporting the HIV/TB response in Ukraine.

In his speech, he also shared experience on:

• How Ukraine continues to control HIV and tuberculosis despite the full-scale war.
• Innovative approaches like mobile clinics, the AI-based digital consultant TWIIN, and Help24 Telehealth— an innovative telemedicine platform developed under Ukraine’s National Telemedicine Strategy to expand access to HIV, STI, and mental health care for war-affected and vulnerable populations.
• The essential work with vulnerable groups, including key populations in the HIV context, internally displaced people, and others.

Andriy Klepikov called on the European Commission and all EU institutions to continue and strengthen their support — including a pledge of €800 million to the Global Fund’s 8th replenishment — to ensure life-saving health services continue in Ukraine and set new standards for global public health.

The Alliance for Public Health extends its sincere gratitude to the members of the European Parliament’s SANT Committee: Vytenis Andriukaitis, Adam Jarubas, Tilly Metz, Romana Jerković, and Stine Bosse — for their support, attention to Ukraine, and active involvement.

We also thank all partners who contributed to the report’s preparation: Aidsfonds, Friends of the Global Fund Europe, the Public Health Center of Ukraine, and other civil society organizations from Ukraine and Europe.

Find all information on the European Parliament’s website: https://lnkd.in/eqt7P74e

The Alliance continues to actively assist Ukrainians by responding to their needs with a wide range of humanitarian initiatives. For the fourth consecutive year, with significant financial and technical support from Christian Aid and the Church of Sweden, 620 mini-projects have been implemented to address the urgent needs of local communities and individual households.

Thanks to participation in the mini-grant contest, community initiative groups receive funding to implement mini-projects that are relevant to both IDPs and “host” communities in specific regions. The grant money is used to repair buildings, equip bomb shelters and children’s playgrounds, set up spaces for hobby clubs, purchase necessary equipment, etc. Various educational, corrective, and rehabilitation activities are also carried out.

Victoria Martirosova, Program Manager at the Alliance for Public Health, has told us about the implementation of the new phase of the project “Supporting Community Initiatives in Ukraine” and new approaches to working with regional facilitators.

This phase of the project will last from February to September 2025 and, unlike previous phases, will focus on deepening activities in the specially selected remote territorial communities. Once the situation in the frontline territories has been analyzed, it was decided to concentrate activities in the territorial communities of six regions: Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, and Poltava regions, and the city of Kramatorsk. We wanted as many people as possible to be able to participate in the grant contest. To this end, announcements about the open contest were widely distributed among the communities and local authorities. The Alliance’s regional facilitators also worked very actively with the communities and initiative groups, telling them about the contest, mini-grants, etc. We managed to attract many interested participants—76 applications were received, from which 55 winners were selected.

The cost of implementing one mini-project is, on average, UAH 200,000, summing up to a total grant amount of UAH 10 million. The applications submitted by initiative groups to the contest were focused on the highest priority needs in their communities. In order to ensure that the selection was objective, it was conducted in two stages.

The first selection stage took place in the specific communities, where selection commissions were set up. These commissions reviewed applications from their region and selected winners based on a certain number of points. After review by the regional commissions, the winners were determined by the Alliance’s National Commission, which also reviewed all 76 applications, but with notes about which initiatives won in each region.

When selecting the winners, the competition committee members paid attention to the following factors:

– that it was a large territorial community where IDPs live,

– local authorities were willing to implement initiatives,

– there were active people and volunteers interested in improving the life of the community, since it was the first time in the history of mini-grants, when the Alliance used a new approach – to implement several initiatives in one community at the same time.

“A distinctive feature of this phase of the project is that several different mini-projects can be implemented simultaneously in the local community by different initiative groups. This is the

Alliance’s first experience of this kind, and it will be very interesting to see how this approach works and how effective it will be,” said Viktoria Martirosova.

Facilitators as a driving force of the Project

In order to delve deeper into the communities, especially rural ones, there is a need to involve a regional “coordinator” who is a local resident and who would be present “in the field” when needed.

A facilitator is a person who communicates directly with initiative groups and assists them at all stages of project implementation: writing grant applications, implementing the project, preparing reporting documentation, etc. Facilitators are the driving force and assistants to initiative groups, as well as a kind of intermediaries between the Alliance and communities. From the very start of the project, they worked in communities: they got to know the leadership, residents, initiative groups, helped to set up the regional contest commissions, served as secretaries of these commissions, and assisted the Alliance with all paperwork. The involvement of facilitators at all stages is very helpful to the communities themselves, as it helps to educate and support them throughout the entire process.

“Since the beginning of the war, I have been working at the humanitarian projects, and now I am working on the implementation of mini-grants. What inspires me in this work? Of course, it’s the people around me, people who need help. When you realize that you can help and already have some experience in this, you want to share it and inspire others,” says Kateryna Horbyk, a facilitator in the Poltava region. “I understand that it is thanks to projects supported by mini-grants that small communities that have lost hope and are not expecting any help are being rebuilt. It’s great that we have the opportunity to help in this way!”.

Kateryna Horbyk, a facilitator in the Poltava region, shared the specifics of her work and the challenges of collaborating with remote communities.

When I found out that there were already communities to work with, I immediately started communicating with the heads of local territorial communities, because they knew the needs of their residents better than anyone else. We arranged meetings to get to know each other in the first place and to understand their needs and problems. Then we had several working meetings aimed at training people who were eager to join us to prepare their grant applications. This was the stage at which initiative groups were formed in the community. After the winners were announced, we, the facilitators, were constantly in touch with them, as we provided consulting services on the work processes, such as procurement, implementation of activities, publications on mini-projects, etc. It’s great that people in small communities are ready to hear you, and listen to you when you give them some advice.

We are currently conducting “experimental training sessions” in the territorial communities of the mini-grant project. This is an analysis of the implementation of mini-grant projects in practice, during which we discuss what has already been done, what problems arise, what can be improved, and their future plans. Therefore, we travel to communities, organize meetings, and hold lively and interesting discussions. It is difficult to plan routes for visiting communities because we work in remote territorial communities that are 2-3 hours’ drive away. All these communities are located outside the Poltava community, in towns and villages that are really remote logistically and have almost no access to donor funding. But we do it because such visits, meetings, and discussions are a guarantee that initiative groups, gaining knowledge, skills, and positive experience in implementing mini-projects, will move forward and implement larger projects later on.

What challenges do I see:

– there is a need to learn how to work with people in the communities, who usually do not even know how to organize any working processes;

– a facilitator bears a great responsibility, because the project implementation depends on our efforts.

The Alliance helps facilitators on this difficult path through holding regular working meetings, thematic training sessions, consultations, and experience exchanges within the framework of the Community Initiatives Support Platform.

Read about the interim results of project implementation on our Facebook page. The activities are carried out within the framework of the project “Supporting Community Initiatives in Ukraine,” implemented by the Alliance for Public Health of Ukraine with financial and technical support from the Church of Sweden and Christian Aid.

Alliance for Public Health, along with 250 other community and civil society organizations from around the world, sent an important letter to the European Commission. We are calling on Commissioner Jozef Síkela and EU leadership to renew and increase their commitment to the fight against HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria by pledging €800 million to The Global Fund.

The European Commission has always been a vital partner in this fight. Their role has been crucial—from co-founding the Global Fund to stepping up with a €715 million pledge during the COVID-19 crisis, which helped save countless lives. This contribution is a testament to true leadership.

The fight continues, and we are grateful for every step taken in this direction. Even in the face of potential aid cuts that could threaten hard-won gains, we understand how important decisive leadership is right now.

Today, we urge Jozef Síkela, Ursula von der Leyen, Hadja Lahbib, and Marta Kos to continue standing with us in this incredibly important mission.

CSOs-and-communities-letter-1

In May 2025, the State Institution “Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine” (PHC), with the support of the iSoS partnership, become the first public health institution in Ukraine certified according to the international standard EN ISO 22301:2019 (Business Continuity Management Systems). It is particularly important to emphasize that this milestone was achieved amid a full-scale war.

On May 22, PHC officially received its certificate from the Canadian certification body MSECB. This accomplishment was made possible as result of  the dedicated work of the PHC team and the support of the regional partnership iSoS — an initiative implemented by a consortium led by the Alliance for Public Health in partnership with the Social Equation Hub Foundation and funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

This certificate is not only a symbol of professionalism but also a powerful message for the entire public health sector — even during wartime, it is possible to lay the foundation for sustainable development and systemic change.

“The ISO 22301 certification of Ukraine’s Public Health Center for its business continuity management system is a testament to the dedication and strategic vision of its management and the team. Despite the immense challenges posed by the ongoing war, they have demonstrated exceptional resilience and professionalism. This achievement not only sets a new benchmark for public health institutions in Ukraine but also showcases the power of coordinated efforts and international partnerships in building robust and sustainable systems. The Center’s commitment to maintaining critical services under the most difficult circumstances is truly commendable and serves as an inspiration to all public health professionals and to the people whom we serve,” said Andreas Tamberg, The Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

Achieving ISO 22301 certification is far from formality. It is international recognition of PHC’s ability to ensure the resilience, efficiency, and continuity of critical services, even under the most challenging conditions — during war, cyberattacks, or technical disruptions.

“To put it simply, the point of having a business continuity strategy is that, in the event of a cyberattack, shelling, or other crises, we automatically switch to backup servers — all data are preserved, and critical services move to remote mode. Our laboratories follow clear logistics and backup operation routes. That means even during the war, our processes continue uninterrupted. This combination of modern IT solutions and well-thought-out alternative scenarios ensures the security of strategic data, efficient use of resources, and most importantly — the protection of confidential information, which is critical to patient safety,” explains Hennadii Honak, Head of Internal audit department at PHC.

“But the real value of the system lies not just in its initial implementation. In a world where new threats emerge every day, technologies change, and processes evolve, the hardest part is keeping the system alive and relevant. We’ve gone through a tough journey toward certification, and today our main task is to ensure ongoing risk analysis, team training, and adaptation. Maintaining this result is a day-to-day team effort that requires leadership, expert involvement, and strategic thinking.”

Regional partnerships: scale and impact

The iSoS regional partnership has become a vital platform for stimulating and supporting systemic changes across Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

The efforts of iSoS experts help not only to strengthen the resilience of national healthcare systems but also to establish new standards for the public sector throughout the EECA region.

“PHC’s certification is a remarkable example of the systemic transformation we support within the iSoS partnership. It’s not only about delivering services “here and now”, but about long-term resilience and institutional effectiveness across Eastern Europe and Central Asia. This is a truly meaningful achievement for both Ukraine and the region — made possible thanks to the joint efforts of PHC, SEH, and the Alliance,” said Sergii Filippovych, iSoS Project Director at the Alliance for Public Health.

Supporting such initiatives is an investment in trust, effectiveness, and the system’s ability to respond to new challenges.

“PHC’s ISO 22301 certification has both national and regional significance. As a project partner, our team provided strategic support throughout the process — offering expertise not only for Ukraine, but also for Georgia, Moldova, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan,” said Kateryna Ryzhkova-Siebeleva, Chair of the Board of the Social Equation Hub Foundation.
“All of these countries, like Ukraine, face numerous risks — from conflict and migration crises to cyber threats and natural disasters. Our approach goes beyond technical assistance — we focus on building long-term partnerships that help public institutions and civil society enhance capacity and adopt international standards.”

Setting new standards in the public sector — what this means for Ukraine and its partners

ISO 22301 is more than just a certificate — it is proof of a healthcare system’s preparedness for any challenge.

• PHC’s services will remain available even in times of crisis.
• Critical processes will be preserved and restored without panic or chaos.
• Ukraine’s healthcare system has earned a new level of trust from international partners and donors.
• The ISO 22301 certificate is a symbol of resilience, predictability, and reliability of Ukrainian institutions.

This experience can be instrumental in developing guidelines and approaches for other government bodies and could contribute to the creation of internal continuity management standards across the public sector.

PHC noted that they will continue to improve the system, adapt it to new risks, and train their staff. Obtaining the certificate is just the beginning of a transformational journey that will continue.

This achievement is more than a certificate — it’s a sign that Ukraine is building strong and resilient institutions even in wartime. And international support — particularly through regional initiatives like the #SoS_project and #iSoS — plays a catalytic role in this process.

Olha Kovalenko, Business Continuity Manager at the Public Health Center, and Hennadii Honak, Head of the Internal Audit Department at the Public Health Center.

In early June, Andriy Klepikov, Executive Director of the Alliance for Public Health, spoke at a high-level conference on sustainable development in Hamburg, which brought together leading representatives of international policy, business, academia, and civil society.

During the roundtable discussion ” Harnessing the Power of Public Private Partnerships for Sustainable Investments in Global Health”, he shared practical lessons from implementing prevention and treatment programs in wartime Ukraine.

Key message: Support for Ukraine from international donors is not just aid – it is an investment in resilience.

In his speech, Klepikov emphasized that thanks to the support of international donors – particularly the Global Fund – Ukraine managed to avoid the anticipated spikes in HIV and TB incidence following the full-scale invasion.

“Almost everyone predicted a sharp increase in new cases. But that didn’t happen – not by chance, but thanks to daily hard work, flexibility, adaptability, innovation, and a strategic response to the war’s challenges,” he said.

Under the immense pressure of war, Ukraine’s healthcare system was forced to transform.

Ukrainian Innovations: From Static to Dynamic, from Traditional to Digital

Andriy Klepikov highlighted how the Ukrainian experience shows that adaptation and innovation are key to service continuity, using the work of the Alliance for Public Health as an example:

Mobile Clinics: By introducing mobile medical services, Ukraine ensures access to care in remote areas and near the front lines. A short video illustrates the work of Ukrainian mobile health teams: “Dmytro and Yulia Face the Frontlines of War to Deliver

•      Lifesaving Care in Ukraine”
• Digital Solutions: Tools like the digital social worker TWIIN have enabled 24/7 support, continuing service delivery even during air raids.
• Flexibility and focus on vulnerable populations: Programs have been redesigned to respond most effectively to the needs of key populations whose vulnerability has significantly increased during the war. Since February 2022, over 1.6 million Ukrainians have received support from the Alliance for Public Health.
  Learn more in the Alliance’s three-year wartime health report: “No Pause in the Response.”

Ukrainian Experience as a Model for Challenging Contexts

Klepikov drew attention to a striking fact: 36 countries funded by the Global Fund are classified as operating in Challenging Operating Environments (COEs) – roughly one in three. Programs in these countries, including Ukraine, are proving globally effective, impactful, and resilient.

“This is not just a unique experience – it is a comparative advantage of the Global Fund over other international aid mechanisms,” he stressed.

While the conference focused on long-term sustainability, Klepikov emphasized a critical perspective: for Ukraine, sustainability is a matter of survival, here and now. And yet, the Ukrainian case also demonstrates long-term resilience in the harshest of conditions.

“We have passed the crash test. With the Global Fund’s support, the health system –including HIV and TB response – has held strong. That’s what true sustainability looks like.”

Example of Systemic and Institutional Resilience Amid Full-Scale War

A notable achievement that exemplifies systemic resilience and institutional maturity during wartime, made possible through Global Fund support and the unique regional iSoS partnership, is this:
In 2025, the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine became the first institution in Ukraine and the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) region to receive international certification for ISO 22301 – the global standard for business continuity in public health – despite ongoing threats, shelling, and wartime instability.

 Read also: Political Brief — The Role of the EU in Combating HIV/AIDS in Ukraine

Alliance for Public Health was glad to contribute to and support this powerful new publication, developed by Action Santé Mondiale / Global Health Advocate.

The paper addresses a deeply concerning trend: the growing influence of extremist, anti-rights movements and isolationist policies that are threatening access to healthcare for the world’s most marginalized communities — and undermining decades of progress in global health and human rights.

The data is sobering. The consequences of reduced global cooperation — particularly in funding for HIV, TB, malaria, and immunization — could result in:

• 1.65 million more lives lost due to lack of HIV treatment
• 500,000 preventable deaths due to lack of vaccine access
• Over 600,000 additional deaths from TB and malaria
• Grounded in real-life testimonies, field data, and frontline analysis, the report explores how health and rights are inextricably linked — and why we must act now.

The upcoming Global Fund replenishment presents a unique opportunity to reaffirm the intrinsic link between health equity and the protection of human rights. We call upon the European Commission to demonstrate its leadership in health and justice by pledging €800 million for the Global Fund’s eighth replenishment—a decisive act reflecting the EU’s foundational values.

Read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/e3zYFy3Q

The Alliance for Public Health has joined implementation of the global approach to the localization of humanitarian aid which is currently actively used around the world. Supported by the Church of Ireland and the charity organization Christian Aid, the Alliance has implemented the project “Accelerating local humanitarian response in Ukraine through the management and capacity strengthening of Local and National Ukrainian Actors”. During the year a due diligence (passporting) was conducted as a part of the project and 29 local NGOs were comprehensively supported based on its results.

Localization of humanitarian response is the process of transferring management and resources from international donors to local and national organizations involved in responding to crises. This concept was the key part of the Grand Bargain, first presented at the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016. It will facilitate increasing funding for humanitarian assistance to victims by reducing salaries budgets of international humanitarian organizations that act as intermediaries between donors and local organizations. This will help local Ukrainian NGOs become self-confident and enable them to work directly with international donors and without international intermediary organizations located in Ukraine or in the country that provides the money.

Current situation with localization in Ukraine

Despite significant funding and support for pilot localization projects as well as active participation of Ukrainian organizations, the structural changes for effective localization of humanitarian assistance have proven insufficient. A truly Ukrainian-led humanitarian response would be more cost-effective and have a better chance of continuing and reaching people in need while there’s anticipation of the future donors’ aid reductions. The case study “Passing the Buck: The Economics of Localizing Aid in Ukraine” found that local organizations, unlike international intermediaries, can implement programs that are 15.5% more cost-effective. The volume of funding for Ukraine in 2024 (calculated in 2023) was $6.6 billion. If 25% of funds were deployed to local actors, total cost efficiencies would be estimated at $256m over 2 years (p. 14 of the case study “Passing the Buck: The Economics of Localizing Aid in Ukraine”).

Other studies conducted in Ukraine have found that lengthy, complex and often overlapping processes of comprehensive verification of local implementers by various international donors are significant obstacles for the national organizations to cooperate with them directly without intermediary organizations (reference: Lizz Harrison, with Dmytro Kondratenko and Kateryna Korenkova, Options for supporting and strengthening local humanitarian action in Ukraine: a scoping exercise report, DEC, 2023). Many local Ukrainian organizations do not have experience of positive passing of such verifications or even participation in such comprehensive NGO capacity audits. That is why the Alliance initiated a comprehensive assessment (passporting) and further training and development of organizational capacity for Ukrainian organizations of different levels: from large NGOs with many years of experience to very young ones that are just starting their journey. The process took place from February 2024 to February 2025: regional NGOs established for themselves understanding of “where they are now” in terms of their policies and procedures, organizational structure, programmatic, financial and strategic capabilities, they outlined the direction of their further movement, developed the necessary additional documents, formed or developed the necessary skills and abilities and passed certification which will allow them to participate in capacity checks in the future and effectively cooperate with international donors.

Training of Ukrainian NGOs and international passporting

The 29 partner NGOs from different parts of Ukraine participated in the training. The first stage was a general “passporting” based on a comprehensive NGO capacity audit that was developed in the UK and that includes checking of the 8 parameters. This is a mandatory check – Due Diligence Passporting, which each organization goes through when applying for funding/granting to international donors.

As the passporting result each of the 29 regional NGOs received the certain number of points for each of the assessment criteria. The next step was creation of a 1-year personal development plan based on the assessment of each NGO; the main goals of such plan were describing and implementing specific actions of the organization in order to improve or form its own organizational documents, structures, algorithms, etc.

In addition, the Alliance conducted seven workshops with the staff of each NGO during which the main current and strategic problems of the organization’s life were additionally identified. Among the most relevant problems were: lack of experience in systematic fundraising, writing grant applications, staff burnout due to fatigue from the war and work in stressful situations, lack of constant psychological support, etc. Based on the workshops, the Alliance developed its comprehensive program of training NGOs and supporting them in the implementation of personal capacity development plans. The program included several areas:

• thematic education/trainings;
• trainings on mental health support;
• thematic individual and group supervisions for the organizations’ employees;
• after-training online consultations (once a week) to clarify/deepen/consolidate the knowledge gained during training and practicing the skills;
• assistance to NGOs provided by involved legal experts in a detailed audit of existing policies and procedures, their revision, as well as writing the new modern and relevant documents.

At the beginning of the project, the main ideas were:

• adaptation of the audit/passporting tool developed by the British to the Ukrainian realities;
• introduction of a certificate for NGOs with their assessments based on the results of passporting which could later be used by NGOs for other donors as confirmation that they have already undergone a similar audit (Due Diligence Passporting).

Currently, the technical partner of the Christian Aid project is advocating among international donors that provide funding for humanitarian projects in Ukraine for an approach to mutual recognition of passporting/audit/assessment certificates of Ukrainian NGOs.

Key lessons learned from the project

In order for the project to be effective, it was important for the Alliance team to be very flexible in planning events and always be guided by the most relevant needs of the organizations.

The main lesson of this project is that the process of NGO participation in the project, the gradual strengthening of their capacity through training and support from the Alliance was as important for the staff and management of the organizations as the final result – receiving a certificate of passing the passporting.

“We took part in the training to get certified and thus avoid duplication, in order not to be constantly audited by international organizations but in fact we have received lasting and qualitative changes within the organization. For example, we understood where we were then and what we needed to improve, we systematized all the documents, saw what was missing and worked on them, planned in which direction we would develop. And this has become a very big advantage of this project”, said a representative of one of the NGOs.

Another important lesson was this: when passporting of NGOs was done, training was provided and assistance was introduced to strengthen their capacity in organizational life, then an additional final passporting is necessary for their assessment and certification with the purpose of taking into account their improvements` results. In the Alliance project after a year of working with NGOs on their training and development such final assessment was carried out using the passporting tool to reflect the improved indicators in the certificate. These certificates will be available for the NGOs` use in their further work and in the search for new grants.

Based on the results of this work, the project team developed the document Due Diligence Passporting: Lessons from Localization in Ukraine – Christian Aid Ireland  based on the feedback from the participants. This document highlighted the lessons that must be taken into account when implementing similar projects, namely

• the need to eliminate duplication of audits of regional NGOs’ policies and procedures by various donors by means of mutual recognition of results/certificates from previously completed assessments and audits using donor-agreed tools. This will enable local Ukrainian NGOs to feel confident, save time and effort and also allow donors to coordinate their activities and quickly find regional partners for the implementation of humanitarian initiatives;
• the importance for local NGOs not only to undergo an assessment/audit, receive an appropriate certificate, but also to see their “strengths” and “areas for further development”, strengthen their own potential through thematic training and technical support from experts and experienced organizations;
• the awareness by local NGOs of their own internal efficiency by structuring and improving the documentation, algorithms, structures and working processes employed in the organizations. This has a positive impact on the confidence of NGOs in their ability to perform high-quality humanitarian work in accordance with international standards and find funding for that.

Today, the localization of Ukrainian humanitarian aid remains the key task for donors and international organizations as it can make aid more effective, targeted, sustainable and long-lasting.

The activity was carried out within the framework of the project “Accelerating local humanitarian response in Ukraine through the management and strengthening of the capacity of Local and National Ukrainian Actors” which was implemented by the Alliance with technical support from the Christian Aid and financial support from the Church of Ireland. During the implementation of the project, recommendations were developed for the organizations willing to implement a similar project: https://www.christianaid.ie/sites/default/files/2025-03/ddpp-lessons-from-a-journey-with-lnas_ukrainian.pdf

On April 1, Executive Director of the Alliance for Public Health Andriy Klepikov presented a unique example in the Danish Parliament: how, despite the full-scale war, we manage to contain the spread of HIV and tuberculosis. He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, all members of Parliament, and all Danish people for incredible support to Ukraine.

“Nowadays security is getting top priority on the European agenda. Although it shouldn’t be a choice between security and health, either or. It is a false dilemma. Health is also security. Socially dangerous diseases has no borders,” Klepikov emphasized.

The strength of the Ukrainian response lies in partnership: civil society, communities, the medical system, the government, and international donors. In particular, the Global Fund, which adapted programs and provided emergency funding in the first days of the war.

Key elements of the successful response included: a focus on key population groups, deployment of more than 40 mobile clinics in 320 remote locations near the combat zone, and the implementation of digital solutions such as a virtual social worker and telemedicine. The HelpNow service provided more than 40,000 consultations in 52 countries.

“If a person is starving, I can’t say: sorry, I only have a condom. I must find them food,” Klepikov emphasized, highlighting the importance of combining medical services with humanitarian aid in wartime conditions.

Klepikov also called for support for the Global Fund’s eighth replenishment and not to reduce the volume of international aid.
You can learn more about the Eighth Replenishment Investment Case here.

He also drew attention to the growing role of the European Union in global public health. It is worth noting that from March 18 to 20, 2025, a photo exhibition co-organized by APH took place in the European Parliament, highlighting results of EU investments in the Global Fund and GAVI. The exhibition was supported by the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola who spoke at the opening.
Special thanks to Aidsfondet for the invitation, partnership, and support in making this important conversation happen.

We would like to note that the main focus of the meeting was on continuing Denmark’s important role in the global response to the HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria epidemics.

The discussion also involved Maureen Murenga (Lean on Me), Christine Stegling (UNAIDS), Angela Chang (Syddansk Universitet – University of Southern Denmark), Tess Hewitt (Médecins Sans Frontières / MSF), and Peter Sands (The Global Fund).

The organizers of the meeting were: Aidsfondet, Médecins Sans Frontières, and the SRHR network of the Danish Parliament: Flemming Møller Mortensen, Peder Hvelplund, and Gunvor Wibroe.

In 2025, a new three-year regional project “#iSoS: Empowering and Innovations” was launched with a budget of $5.5 million. The project aims to strengthen healthcare systems in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) to combat HIV and related challenges.

The project is a collaborative consortium of partner organizations led by the Alliance for Public Health, with financial support from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. The consortium includes organizations such as CO “100% Life”, the Central Asian Association of People Living with HIV (CAAPL), SEE RCN, the WHO Regional Office for Europe, EHRA, ECOM, SEH, ENPUD, the Regional Expert Group on Migrant Health, and ECECACD. These partners combine their regional networks and expertise to effectively address the HIV/AIDS-related challenges in the region.

The EECA region remains off track in its response to the HIV epidemic and is one of only three regions globally where the annual number of new HIV infections continues to rise. This trend is primarily driven by insufficient coverage of prevention programs among key populations, including people who inject drugs and MSM. Critical gaps include limited access to opioid agonist therapy (OAT), which remains either unavailable, underfunded, or of poor quality, and minimal uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Additionally, low HIV testing and antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage further compound the crisis, with only 59% of people living with HIV (PLHIV) aware of their status and just 50% receiving ART. Punitive legal frameworks also pose significant barriers: seven countries in the region criminalize the possession of small amounts of drugs for personal use, while aggressive policing, stigma, and discrimination against key populations are pervasive. Moreover, the lack of domestic investment in the HIV response has left a 54% funding gap to meet the 2025 target. Multiple overlapping crises continue to challenge the region’s fragile AIDS response. These critical gaps were prioritised when designing the interventions outlined in the program.

The #iSoS project focuses on creating resilient and effective healthcare systems for addressing HIV in four countries: Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, and Tajikistan, as well as SEE subregion. The project’s objectives are to enhance HIV prevention coverage among key populations, eliminate human rights barriers to HIV services, and strengthen healthcare systems to ensure sustainable epidemic control.

KEY PROJECT GOALS:

1. Increase Access to HIV Prevention Services Among Key Populations:
   The project aims to diversify and expand PrEP delivery by strengthening community-based, pharmacy-based, and online service models. Community-led monitoring (CLM) will help improve service quality, and the introduction of innovative approaches, such as long-acting injectable PrEP (LA PrEP), is expected to boost PrEP coverage by 20% during the project period.
2. Remove Human Rights-Related Barriers to HIV Services:
   The project will enhance access to harm reduction services, particularly opioid agonist therapy (OAT), through advocacy, legal reforms, and high-level political engagement. This includes submitting shadow reports to EU and UN bodies and working with the EECA Drug Policy Commission to advance drug policy reforms. Key efforts also focus on monitoring human rights violations affecting LGBT people and people who inject drugs, strategic litigation, and improving the legal environment for key populations. Additional activities include developing remote service registration for migrants, integrating gender-sensitive approaches, and providing legal support and crisis impact assessments to guide risk reduction during emergencies.
3. Strengthen Healthcare Systems and Attract Sustainable Investments:
   The project advocates for increased national funding for HIV programs, particularly in the SEE region, emphasizing the cost-effectiveness of early intervention. NGOs will receive technical support to develop sustainable funding strategies, while Moldova and Tajikistan will work on integrating HIV and TB services into health insurance plans. A health systems resilience framework, including cybersecurity, will be implemented in Moldova, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Georgia.
   To enhance efficiency, the project will introduce seven digital solutions to improve data collection, decision-making, and access to services, ensuring better health outcomes across the region.

The iSoS project is a bold step towards building a resilient and innovative healthcare system in the EECA region, focusing on digitalization, healthcare accessibility, and human rights. The project’s unique approach to cross-country collaboration is poised to make a meaningful impact on the fight against HIV while ensuring sustainable outcomes for the region’s most vulnerable populations.

Official web-page: https://isos.aph.org.ua

CONTACT: Project Director: Sergii Filippovych, filippovych@aph.org.ua