Ukrainian digital assistant TWIIN presented at the IAS 2025 international conference held from 13 to 17 July in Kigali, Rwanda

TWIIN was featured in the poster exhibition area, where conference participants from around the world had the opportunity to interact with online consultants and learn more about the project from Maria Malakhova, the project coordinator and Programme Manager for Innovation and Digital Projects at the Alliance for Public Health.

As part of the session Harnessing technology: Digital health applications at the IAS Conference on HIV Science, Maria Malakhova presented TWIIN — a digital health assistant developed by the Alliance for Public Health to support key populations.

TWIIN is an innovative AI-powered voice and chat assistant, operating 24/7. It provides support on HIV, STIs, mental health, safer use, human rights, and navigation through available health services. What makes TWIIN unique is its multichannel availability — through websites, mobile apps, API integration, and interactive panels — and its ability to work in both open chat mode and structured dialogue formats.

In her presentation, Maria Malakhova highlighted:

– Evidence on the effectiveness of Embodied Conversational Agents (ECAs) in driving behavior change;

– First implementation results in Ukraine, with over 7,000 users engaged;

– High levels of community acceptance, especially in contexts of stigma, migration, and limited access to healthcare;

– Strategic plans to scale TWIIN across EECA countries, with tailored adaptation to local language and service realities.

The IAS Conference on HIV Science is the world’s largest scientific platform that brings together science, policy, and practice to advance the global HIV response.

The TWIIN presentation demonstrated how technology developed in Ukraine can be scaled as part of an international response to health challenges.

Andriy Klepikov, Executive Director of the Alliance for Public Health, spoke at IAS 2025 during a special session addressing challenges faced by health systems and key populations during armed conflicts.

In his presentation, he emphasised that Ukraine demonstrates resilience and an effective HIV response, maintaining control over the epidemic and ensuring access to prevention and treatment, especially for internally displaced people and war refugees.

Key success factors in Ukraine’s HIV response during the war:

• Strong collaboration between communities, civil society, medical professionals, international agencies, donors, and the government
• Favourable policies supporting key populations and migrants
• Flexibility and rapid adaptation of services – mobile outreach and digital tools
• Addressing basic humanitarian needs
• Access to innovations, including long-acting antiretrovirals

Main takeaway:

Despite the challenges of war, Ukraine demonstrates a resilient and effective HIV response, keeping the epidemic under control and setting an example for other countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Future priorities:

• Ongoing research and assessments to meet emerging needs, including mental health
• Advocating against shrinking international funding
• Ensuring access to LENACAPAVIR — a life-saving innovation essential during wartime and for Ukraine’s rebuilding

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.

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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.