Author: Tetiana Palamar

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Response stories

Discrimination of military personnel due to HIV status

The REAct documentator was approached by a client – a military serviceman who was being treated at a local hospital. During the treatment, the young man was tested for the entire infectious panel.

Later, after receiving the results, the client and the paramedic came to the local AIDS center for ART. The doctor knew about the diagnosis and after counseling the young man, he began to ask how he should behave now, given the client’s HIV-positive status. The paramedic asked if the man needed to be separated from his unit; what to do with other guys; how to behave in a soldier’s life and whether to talk about this diagnosis at all. During such “interrogation”, the client was embarrassed and felt like a leper.

At the client’s request, the documentator conducted an informational consultation with a paramedic regarding general questions about HIV. The doctor was informed about the inadmissibility of disclosing the patient’s medical data and about the responsibility for such behavior. The man was also consulted regarding the responsibility for manifestations of stigma and discrimination against HIV+ persons, which is provided for by the Law of Ukraine.

During the conversation, the young military, having received support from the documentator, expressed an irresistible desire to remain in the ranks of the Armed Forces and asked for legal advice regarding his rights in order to feel more secure.

After assuring the client that if a person is registered, receives treatment, and expresses a desire to remain in the ranks of the Armed Forces, military doctors cannot initiate the release of a soldier from an active army unit, the man cheered up and has now received documents for transfer to another unit, which he dreamed of joining before. He realized that stigma and discrimination in medical or military institutions could not be barriers to walking together to victory!

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Response stories

Refusal to provide free treatment

Andriy is a man who lost his son due to the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. After that, he ended up in the department of neurology in the city where he was forced to move. Having lost his main income and being an IDP, the client was unable to pay medical bills, so he asked the hospital administration to find reserves for partially free care. For his request, he received only insults and humiliation. It was explained to the man that by receiving IDP address assistance from the state, he must pay the bills in full on his own. After such an insult, Andriy called the REActor.

The documentator listened to the man and asked him to send her photos of the prescriptions that he had to pay. It turned out that the hospital was provided with most of the drugs that needed to be purchased. Therefore, without wasting time, the documentator went to the chief doctor of the medical institution to have a face-to-face conversation.

After meeting with the doctor, the REActor provided comparative information from an official source on the remaining medication in the hospital with this man’s bills and emphasized that it is not worth taking advantage of a mountain of people in such a difficult time and recommended he to review his moral principles.

This case was taken under the personal supervision of the chief physician. A conversation was held with the medical staff regarding the violation of medical and ethical norms of behavior. The client was provided with free treatment, with the exception of some drugs that were given to him by volunteers.

Currently, the man is recovering and undergoing a course of rehabilitation psychological assistance due to the loss of a loved one.

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Lawyer’s advice Useful materials

Social guarantees for internally displaced persons

As of August 2022, there are about 4 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine due to the military aggression of the Russian Federation. This new, for many forced status, provides for appropriate guarantees of state social protection. Let’s consider them.

Who is recognized as an internally displaced person?

An IDP can be a citizen of Ukraine, a foreigner, or a stateless person who is in the territory of Ukraine on legal grounds and has the right to permanent residence in Ukraine, who was forced to leave or leave his place of residence as a result of or in order to avoid the negative consequences of an armed conflict, temporary occupation, widespread manifestations of violence, human rights violations and emergency situations. The state must take all possible measures, provided for by the Constitution and laws of Ukraine, to protect and respect the rights and freedoms of internally displaced persons, and to create conditions for integration at the new place of residence in Ukraine.

What confirms the fact that a person is an IDP and where should he get registration?

Internal displacement is confirmed by a certificate of registration of an internally displaced person. Not only adults but also every child, including those who arrived unaccompanied by parents or other legal representatives, must receive such a certificate. In order to obtain a certificate of registration of an internally displaced person, such a person must apply to the structural division for social protection of the population of local councils at the place of actual displacement. The application is submitted by an internally displaced person, including minor children. In the case of little children, incapacitated persons, or persons whose legal capacity is limited, the application is submitted through a legal representative. Along with the application, the applicant must submit an identity document confirming Ukrainian citizenship, or an identity document confirming its special status, or a child’s birth certificate.

The certificate of registration of an IDP certifies his place of residence for the period of existence on the relevant grounds. The address of the actual place of residence of the IDP can be the address of the appropriate place of compact settlement of internally displaced persons (address of a town made of prefabricated modules, a dormitory, a health camp, a rest house, a sanatorium, a boarding house, a hotel, etc.).

How should IDPs’ rights to employment, pension provision, mandatory state social insurance, social services, and education be ensured?

A citizen of retirement age, a person with a disability, a child with a disability, and another person in difficult life circumstances who are registered as an IDP have the right to receive social services at the place of registration of their actual place of residence.

A registered IDP who does not have the documents necessary for granting the status of unemployed should receive the status of unemployed without the requirements applied under the normal procedure.

Children from among internally displaced persons or children who have the status of a child who suffered as a result of military actions and armed conflicts, who study in preschool, general education, vocational and technical educational institutions, regardless of subordination, types, and form of ownership, must be provided with free meals at the expense of budget.

IDPs from the temporarily occupied territory have the right to receive material support, insurance benefits, and social services under the mandatory state social insurance in connection with temporary loss of working capacity and from an accident at work and occupational disease that caused the loss of working capacity, directly from workers bodies of the Social Insurance Fund of Ukraine by the actual place of residence, stay. Material support, and insurance payments are assigned in the presence of the necessary documents confirming the right to these payments, and in the absence of them – according to the data of the State Register of mandatory state social insurance in the order established by the board of the Social Insurance Fund of Ukraine.

What else are IDPs entitled to, according to state guarantees?

An internally displaced person has the right to:

  • family unity (which implies the obligation of the state to facilitate the reunification of a family whose members were forcibly separated (lost) as a result of risks and other influencing factors during displacement/evacuation from dangerous areas, i.e. in the search and reunification of family members who lost communication);
  • information about the fate and location of missing family members and close relatives;
  • safe living conditions and health;
  • reliable information about the presence of a threat to life and health in the territory of the abandoned place of residence, as well as the location of temporary settlement, the state of the infrastructure, and the environment, ensuring rights and freedoms;
  • creation of appropriate conditions for the permanent or temporary residence;
  • payment of the cost of communal services, electricity and thermal energy, natural gas in places of compact settlement of internally displaced persons (towns made of prefabricated modules, dormitories, health camps, rest houses, sanatoriums, boarding houses, hotels, etc.) at the appropriate tariffs established for such services and goods for the population;
  • provision by state executive authorities, local self-government bodies, and private law entities of the possibility of free temporary residence (provided that the person pays the cost of utility services) within six months from the moment the internally displaced person is registered; for large families, persons with disabilities, and the elderly, this term can be extended;
  • assistance in moving the movable property;
  • assistance in returning to the previous place of residence;
  • provision of medicinal products in cases and according to the procedure defined by legislation;
  • provision of necessary medical assistance in state and communal health care institutions;
  • placement of children in preschool and general educational institutions;
  • receiving social and administrative services at the place of stay;
  • carrying out state registration of acts of civil status, making changes to act records of civil status, their renewal and annulment by place of residence;
  • free travel for voluntary return to the abandoned place of permanent residence in all types of public transport in the event of the disappearance of the circumstances that caused such displacement;
  • receiving humanitarian and charitable aid;
  • other rights defined by the Constitution and laws of Ukraine.

Discrimination against IDPs in exercising any rights and freedoms on the grounds that they are internally displaced persons is prohibited.

What accommodation allowance is provided to IDPs and on what basis?

The mechanism for providing housing assistance to IDPs is determined by the “Procedure for providing housing assistance to internally displaced persons”, which was approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine “Some issues of payment of housing assistance to internally displaced persons” dated March 20, 2022 No. 332.

Starting from May 2022, assistance is provided to IDPs who have moved from the territory temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation to the territory of Ukraine, the territory of territorial communities located in the area of ​​military (combat) operations, or who are under temporary occupation, encirclement (blockade), as well as IDPs, whose housing is destroyed or uninhabitable due to damage and who submitted an application for compensation for the respective losses, in particular through the Unified State Web Portal of electronic services, or for the submission of documentary confirmation from local self-government bodies of the fact of damage/destruction of immovable property as a result of hostilities, terrorist acts acts of sabotage caused by the military aggression of the Russian Federation.

The list of territorial communities that are located in the area of the military (combat) actions or that are under temporary occupation, encirclement (blockade) is formed in electronic form in accordance with the “Regulations on the information system for forming the list of territorial communities that are located in the area of the military (combat) ) actions or which are in temporary occupation, encirclement (blocking)”.

The amount of assistance received is not taken into account when calculating the total family income for all types of social assistance provided in accordance with the law.

To receive assistance, an IDP fills out an application, which can also be submitted to the structural unit for social protection of the population of local councils, the authorized person of the executive body of the village, settlement, city council, or the center for the provision of administrative services.

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Response stories

Refusal to perform an operation due to HIV status

In the evening, Artem turned to the reception department of the city clinical hospital with a high fever and purulent wound on his leg. The surgeon on duty examined him and informed him that an urgent operation should be performed.

But after the man reported his HIV status, the surgeon refused to hospitalize the patient and recommended that he go to the polyclinic at his residence. Instead, Artem replied that he was not a resident of the city, but an immigrant from the city of Kyiv. However, this and any other arguments had no effect on the surgeon.

The man turned to the REAct documentator and asked for help. The documentator contacted the deputy chief physician of the hospital by phone and reported that the surgeon on duty refused to provide medical assistance to the patient after learning about his HIV status, recommending him to go to another medical institution. By order of the deputy chief physician, the client was admitted to inpatient treatment, and a disciplinary conversation was held with the surgeon.

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News

Results of the implementation of the REAct system in Ukraine (first quarter of 2022)

Despite the full-scale war, the REAct project continues to actively work and protect the rights of representatives of key communities.

For the period January-July 2022, a total of 1,373 appeals were received from 1,312 clients. Of these, 85% of cases were fully resolved.

Most often, men (55.4%) and women (43%) face violations of rights, manifestations of stigma, and discrimination.

The most typical violation during this period was the refusal to provide assistance or service (45%). And the main violator of the rights of representatives of key communities traditionally remains the state (82%).

See the infographic for detailed statistics for the first quarter of the year.

Remember that every person has the right to receive quality services and decent treatment. If you or your loved ones have suffered a rights violation, contact REAct specialists for free help:

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Response stories

Knowing your rights is the key to success

This winter, a man called the REAct documentator and said that his friend had been arrested by the police for committing a traffic accident. According to him, the friend did not violate traffic rules and was not to blame for the accident. The offender in this case was a woman riding a bicycle. However, police officers drew up a decision on violation of the rules specifically for his friend Ivan and refused to ensure the participation of a lawyer in the preparation of road accident documents.

The client was informed about the procedure for engaging a lawyer at the expense of the state and provided the contact details of the Regional Center for the provision of free secondary legal assistance in the relevant region in order to directly find out the possibility of appointing a lawyer at the expense of the state independently. In addition, the rights and obligations of the accused in criminal proceedings were explained to the man.

As a result, by the decision of the local court, Ivan, who was accused of committing a criminal offense, was released from criminal responsibility in connection with reconciliation with the victim. The criminal proceedings were closed.

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Response stories

Discrimination in the hospital due to HIV status

Oksana turned to a local medical facility for medical assistance. After the medical staff found out about the girl’s HIV-positive status, they began to demand money from her, arguing that due to her status, she needs more bandages and protective sterile materials than other patients. Instead, Oksana decided to independently buy the necessary materials and provide them to the doctors. However, for some reason, they did not suit them and the doctors still demanded money to purchase them in their institution.

After this situation, Oksana turned to the REAct documentator for advice and help in solving this issue. The documentator visited the hospital, during which he met with the deputy chief physician, who promised to figure out the problem that had arisen and take measures. In addition, the doctor assured that, if possible, the client will be provided with all necessary assistance in accordance with the protocols of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

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Psychologist's advice Useful materials

Bad dreams associated with PTSD

One of the most common symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is nightmares. Our subconscious often pushes the trauma, trying to give it a way out, but instead, our consciousness blocks it. Only when we relax does the trauma come out.

Try to understand your dreams. Even if you don’t believe they have any specific meaning, don’t dismiss the fact that some types of dreams include details that your subconscious wants you to acknowledge or process. For those who experience recurring PTSD dreams, it is clear that fear and trauma are still at work.

Pay attention to relapses. If a specific place, person, or action repeats itself in all of your dreams, pay special attention to it.

Accept that a dream is not reality. When you wake up from a nightmare, you are often overwhelmed with fear that it will come true. With the help of sleep, the psyche tries to cope with the problems left over from the trauma. Focus on the steps you have already taken. Work through the steps you need to take to get well.

Small, simple, but important tips that will help overcome bad dreams:

  • Determine what you are really afraid of. Who/what is causing this fear?
  • Face your fears. Maybe you need to return to that place and realize it can’t hurt you anymore. Perhaps the action in a dream is something against which you feel defenseless, and you need to learn to defend yourself: for someone, it is to take a self-defense course, for others – to learn to swim or to overcome one of the fears. If it is an individual, different scenarios may be involved. Sometimes you need to meet a person and share your feelings literally. In other cases, take legal action. Sometimes you need to move to a place where they are no longer a threat in your life. Sometimes it’s all together.
  • Keep a dream diary. After a nightmare, take the time to write down the details. If you often experience repetitive details in your dreams, try to analyze and resolve why they are always a part of your nightmares. This is an excellent method to learn what causes fear and how to deal with it.
  • Identify your triggers. Think about when exactly you see unpleasant dreams. If they occur only periodically, it is most likely provoked by certain things in your everyday life. Start observing, taking notes, and making changes to help eliminate triggers from your life.
  • Seek professional advice. This is a crucial step in dealing with PTSD, specifically nightmares. In addition to having an objective side to help you sort things out, you can find confidence in sharing your experience with someone you’re not close to. Professional psychologists and psychotherapists will be able to offer you other proven methods to alleviate your condition. Any appointments should only be made by professionals based on your specific situation.
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Response stories

Humiliation of PWID

Oksana had a difficult relationship with her neighbor. He often humiliated her, cursed her, and sometimes even physically abused her. The last time the man tried to blow the client’s door with foam, a fight broke out.

Oksana’s friend called the police, although before that the girl had already written a statement to the neighbor, no one responded. When the police arrived and the law enforcement officers saw that the client was a drug addict, they did not pay due attention to the situation. On the contrary, the men began to belittle Oksana’s dignity and say that she is a drug addict and that is her who has to calm down in this situation.

After that, the client turned to the REActor as a provider of paralegal assistance. The girl was consulted about the situation, and also, in order to protect her rights, she was sent to the local Public Reception Center of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union. With the help of cooperation with the lawyer of the UHHRU, the client was able to successfully defend her rights and return home.

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News Reports Useful materials

Frontline AIDS report “Protectors or perpetrators?”

Police brutality against members of marginalized groups not only hurts the feelings of such individuals but can also cost them their lives. Moreover, such behavior of law enforcement officers completely negates the work to fight AIDS as a threat to the population’s public health.

Yesterday, during one of the sessions of the International AIDS Conference, the Frontline AIDS report “Protectors or perpetrators?” was presented. It features real-life stories that show how illegal police activity affects human rights, access to justice, and the fight against HIV.

These stories demonstrate the resilience and courage of members of marginalized communities in the face of ongoing stigma, discrimination, and violence.

Read the report in English via the link
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Response stories

Discrimination in the Armed Forces due to sexual orientation

Pavlo, a soldier of the Armed Forces, is serving and is in a hot spot in the Zaporizhzhia region. The man never hid his membership in the MSM community and served on an equal footing with other military personnel.

One day, one of the soldiers got drunk and began insulting Pavel, threatening him with reprisals for his sexual orientation. As it turned out later, the attacker had problems with the law and was serving time in prison for murder. As soon as he arrived at their military base, the man found out that Pavlo was gay and decided to ask directly if it was true. Subsequently, the situation developed in such a way that the man attacked Pavel with a skewer and inflicted physical injuries on the grounds of intolerance. At the shouts of the military man, other comrades rushed in with threats and stopped the attacker’s aggressive actions.

After turning to the REAct documentator, Pavlo was provided with legal advice on preventing such actions by the military, in which signs of a criminal offense can be seen under Article 126 and Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Later, a report was sent to the police, but the client refused help and tried to resolve this conflict internally. A little later, the documentator still managed to finish this case and punish the culprit. A report was also sent to the head of the company. The offender was reprimanded with the deprivation of all incentives and disciplinary punishment for illegal actions.

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Response stories

Domestic violence due to HIV status

Natalya was hospitalized with pneumonia. During the conversation between the client’s husband and the doctor, the latter talked about the woman’s HIV status, which the husband did not know about.

After being discharged from the hospital, the man, under the influence of narcotics, began to use physical force and verbally abuse Natalya. The woman tried to talk, and explained that she had been taking therapy for a long time. But the man continued to abuse the client every day.

Due to the fear of stigma and discrimination from law enforcement agencies, Natalya was afraid to go to the police, so she asked for help from the REAct documentator. The woman was given legal advice and helped to make a statement to the police. Later, the man was summoned to the police station and held a conversation about the consequences of domestic violence in the form of deprivation of liberty.

The husband sometimes arranges scandals but is afraid to offend Natalya and use physical force.

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Psychologist's advice Useful materials

Recommendations for verbal de-escalation in a dangerous situation

Recommendations for verbal de-escalation in a dangerous situation

When a potentially verbal and/or physically dangerous situation arises, verbal de-escalation practices can be helpful.

Remember: an angry person has a reduced ability to think logically.

De-escalation techniques are not something natural and intuitive to our psyche, so sometimes we are forced to respond in a more familiar way: fight, or freeze when dealing with a threat. However, choosing the path of de-escalation, we must consciously appear focused and calm.

The technique described below must be practiced before it is needed so that it can become a competent habit.

Step 1. Prepare yourself.

  • Relax your facial muscles and try to look confident. Model your voice so that it sounds low and monotone, but not emotionless.
  • Don’t defend yourself! Even if the comments or insults are directed at you. Remember, they are not about you.
  • Find out about any resources available to help. Know that you have a choice to walk away or call for help.
  • Treat the person with respect, even when firmly setting limits or calling for help. An excited person is very sensitive to feelings of shame and disrespect.

Step 2: Never turn your back, for any reason. Always be at eye level.

  • Leave extra physical space between you: about three to four times more than usual. Anger and worry fill the extra space between you and the person.
  • Stand at an angle so you can move to the side if needed.
  • Do not maintain “constant” eye contact or force the other person to do so. Allow me to detach or look away.
  • Do not point or shake your finger.
  • Don’t smile. It can look like a sneer or anxiety.
  • Do not touch. Cognitive dysfunction in agitated people causes them to misinterpret physical contact as hostile or threatening.
  • Keep your hands slightly away from your pockets, up and accessible to protect yourself. It also demonstrates that you have no concealed weapons.
  • Do not argue and do not try to convince, give a choice, that is, the authority to make a decision on your own.
  • Don’t defend yourself and don’t judge.

Step 3. A de-escalation conversation.

  • Don’t be loud or try to yell back at the person who is yelling. Wait for him/her to take a breath; then speak. Speak calmly, at a medium volume.
  • Remember, there is no point in reacting quickly, other than trying to calmly reduce the level of arousal.
  • Don’t answer offensive questions or those that don’t have an answer. For example, “Why everyone …?”, “Why all this …?”, “When will it all end …?”. There should be no answer to these questions.
  • Explain boundaries and rules in an authoritative, firm tone, but always with respect.
  • Empathize with the feelings, but not the behavior.
  • Where possible, try to distract the person with “thoughts and insights”. You can clarify “… help me understand what you are telling me.”
  • Communicate the consequences of “atypical/inappropriate behavior” without threats or anger.
  • Do not try to suppress the dignity of the interlocutor.
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Response stories

Blackmail of a sex worker by the police

Women engaged in sex work are at constant risk of rights violations. In particular, Ruslana, a client of a friendly organization, was blackmailed and forced to provide sexual services for money in one of the apartments for a long time. At the same time, the girl was forced to give the earned funds to a former police officer and an employee of the anti-trafficking department, because they found out that the woman was undergoing a criminal case and threatened to tell about her status as a sex worker to her roommate.

The girl learned about the REAct project and asked for help. The documentator, after listening to the sad story, directed the victim to consult a psychologist of the organization, taking into account her difficult psycho-emotional state as a result of regular psychological manipulation by the police.

Ruslana was also provided with an initial consultation on legal issues. After all, police officers, clients, and other persons quite often commit illegal actions against sex workers and remain unpunished. Later, the girl was referred to a friendly organization lawyer for help writing a statement to the police and legal advice. After submitting the statement, the harassment by the violators stopped.

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Brochures Reports Useful materials

Human rights violations against key populations amid ongoing war in Ukraine

Key HIV-affected communities in Ukraine face widespread rights violations, prejudice, and discrimination due to their vulnerable population status.

Amid Russia’s full-scale invasion into Ukraine, starting from February 24, 2022, the situation with human rights violations against people who inject drugs (PWID), patients in OST programs, people living with HIV (PLHIV), people with TB, sex workers, men who have sex with men (MSM), and other most-at-risk groups has significantly deteriorated.

In addition to the barriers and constraints encountered by clients under the imposed martial law, the REAct system has recorded war crimes by the invading Russian military.

Read more about the key types of violators and violations, a detailed description of war crimes committed by the occupiers during the war, and barriers to receiving services and protecting the rights, which appeared for clients in connection with the full-scale war in Ukraine, in our the new booklet “Human rights violations against key populations amid ongoing war in Ukraine”.

Read the booklet “Human rights violations against key populations amid ongoing war in Ukraine”
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Response stories

Disclosure of the patient’s HIV status in a medical institution

Maria was hospitalized in a serious condition with a diagnosis of COVID-19. In order to prescribe the correct treatment, the girl informed the doctor about her HIV status. However, after hearing about this, the doctor refused to prescribe treatment. During the morning round, the patient asked why she was being treated so indifferently, to which the doctor replied that there was no place for HIV-positive people in this hospital. Which, in turn, revealed her status to other patients in the ward and department.

After this conversation, the roommates began to insult and psychologically humiliate the woman and even threatened to kill her.

Considering her serious condition, Maria decided to seek help from her social worker, who notified the REAct documentator about this case. The documentator contacted the woman by phone, offered her support, and provided an initial psychological consultation.

An official letter was sent to the head doctor of the medical institution where the woman was staying, describing the situation in which the client found herself due to public disclosure of her status, which led to stigma and discrimination from other patients. The documentator explained to the doctor that his actions were discriminatory and it was recommended to adhere to the code of medical ethics in order not to have trouble in the future due to failure to fulfill his official duties.

The situation was resolved by transferring the client to another ward, where she received the necessary treatment in full.

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Lawyer’s advice Useful materials

Peculiarities of providing medical services during martial law

In connection with full-scale hostilities, the issue of citizens’ access to medical services in the conditions of martial law has become urgent. Many Ukrainians were forced to escape from the invaders and leave their homes, evacuating to other regions of Ukraine as internally displaced persons. This led to the need to make corrections to the mechanisms of providing medical care, taking into account the actual circumstances.

It should be noted that all state guarantees for the provision of medical care continue to apply, and some features of their application will be analyzed below using examples of emerging questions and the practice of solving them, taking into account the position of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

Where and under what conditions can internally displaced persons receive medical assistance?

Ukrainians currently have simplified access to primary medical care: internally displaced persons can be admitted to a medical institution in any region of Ukraine in which they are located if such an institution is able to provide the necessary treatment. A declaration is not required for this.

How can you get “affordable medicine” during martial law in another city?

For those citizens who need medical treatment, the “Affordable Medicines” program works in Ukraine, thanks to which patients can receive the medicines free or with a small surcharge. If, for example, a patient needs medication for cardiovascular disease, bronchial asthma, or type II diabetes, and if he has been forced to change his place of residence due to military action, one needs to see any other family doctor, therapist, or pediatrician, even with whom there is no declaration. Immediate assistance for IDPs is provided in full. At the same time, the doctor must conduct an examination, diagnosis, and prescribe the necessary treatment, including medication. If medication is needed due to mental and behavioral disorders, one should consult a psychiatrist, epilepsy – psychiatrist, or neurologist. If the patient needs to be prescribed the first insulin treatment regimen, this is done by an endocrinologist. He also makes changes to the scheme. And after approval of the scheme, the family doctor can write prescriptions for insulin.

Medical documents were lost during an emergency evacuation, how can they be restored?

As a result of Russian military aggression, many Ukrainians lost their documents, including medical ones, during evacuation. There are several ways of restoring lost medical documents recommended by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, depending on their type:

  1. To restore such medical documentation as examination results, treatment, performed inpatient and operative interventions, and rehabilitation recommendations, one needs to contact the family doctor or any other primary care doctor at one’s place of stay. The doctor must make a decision on the restoration of medical documents through the Electronic Health Care System and/or conduct additional examinations to restore further treatment.
  2. If it is necessary to restore documents related to disability, it is necessary to contact the social security authority in the city of actual stay, which has access to the Centralized Bank of data of persons with disabilities and can make an extract for a person with a disability.
  3. Suppose it is necessary to restore or renew the MSEC certificate or there is a need to pass a medical and social examination. In that case, such a person can apply to the medical and social expert commission at the place of the actual stay. It should be noted that all forcibly resettled persons are examined by commissions regardless of the city of residence, according to the person’s place of stay.

Do persons with disabilities need to undergo a repeat medical examination?

In case of impossibility of examination and registration of referral to MSEC, the period of re-examination for persons with disabilities, which fell during the period of martial law, is postponed for a period of up to 6 months after its termination/cancellation. At the same time, all payments and relevant benefits are kept for the person until the end of the re-examination period. It is important that during the period of martial law and 6 months after its termination/cancellation, Ukrainians have the right to apply to the MSEC to establish disability not only regardless of the place of residence or stay, but also in absentia. That is, if a person does not have the opportunity to come to the MSEC, the commission can make a decision on the establishment of disability in absentia on the basis of a referral from a health care institution.

The attending physician, including the family physician, to whom the patient sought medical help, should, if necessary, issue a referral to the MSEC. At the same time, it is not required to make a declaration between the internally displaced patient and the doctor who makes the referral to the MSEC, and there are no legal grounds to need it. Conducting a medical and social examination at the direction of the medical and advisory commission is carried out regardless of the place of registration, residence, or stay of the person applying for the establishment of disability.

How to make a planned operation during the war?

Planned operations, which were suspended in the first days of the war, can now be carried out by the decision of the chief doctors of health care institutions. In order to perform the operation free of charge, it is necessary to receive an electronic referral from the family or attending physician. It should be noted that during martial law, planned operations can only be carried out by those institutions that have the resources for this because in some regions hospitals are overloaded with helping the wounded. One can get up-to-date information about hospitals where elective surgeries are performed at the contact center of the National Health Service at number 16-77. Also, after receiving the information, one should call the hospital and clarify the possibility of performing the surgery you need.

How can one get HIV treatment abroad and in Ukraine during the war?

Ukrainians living with HIV who have remained in Ukraine can still receive antiretroviral therapy. According to the new requirements, according to the place of the actual stay. That is, a person can receive ART at his place of residence or at the AIDS Center, or at the “Trust” office where he is registered. If a person had to leave the place of permanent residence, it is necessary to contact the AIDS Center or the “Trust” office in the new city.

If, as a result of military aggression, a person was forced to move abroad, then he needs to go to one of the hospitals that provide similar assistance to Ukrainians abroad. Such assistance became possible thanks to the intergovernmental initiative “ART for Ukrainians Abroad”. The complete list of these hospitals in different countries of the world is given at the link https://www.eceenetwork.com/patients?lang=en

For an application to a person applying for ART abroad, it is advisable to have information about the history of treatment for HIV infection with you. But even if the person does not have any medical documents (lost during evacuation and relocation), with his consent, the doctor can ask colleagues from Ukraine for the necessary information, and the person will be able to receive appropriate help.

How can you get medical services and help for Ukrainians who fled the war abroad?

Information on the medical care of temporarily displaced Ukrainians abroad is now available on the website of the Ministry of Health. Most European countries provide a wide range of free medical services for Ukrainians who were forced to seek refuge abroad due to the beginning of Russian aggression on the territory of Ukraine.

You can find out on the official resource of the Ministry of Health:

  • verified contacts of medical institutions;
  • a list of services that are available to displaced persons free of charge;
  • information on where to get doctor’s consultations in Ukrainian;
  • how to issue a prescription for medicine and much more.

Information on medical care for forced migrants abroad is available at the link https://moz.gov.ua/medichna-dopomoga-vimushenim-pereselencjam-zakordonom

Categories
Response stories

Blackmail in disclosing the secret of the diagnosis

Vika, an HIV-positive woman, got a job as a nanny for a family through an agency. After working for a month, the woman was offered an HIV test. At the same time, Vika was warned that, in case of refusal, she would be fired, as the family in which she worked insisted on passing all the tests. In the end, Vika agreed.

The testing was conducted in the office of the agency’s HR manager, which was already a violation of confidentiality, as well as a violation of the testing procedure since it should be conducted exclusively by a medical professional. When the manager saw the positive result of the HIV test, Victoria was fired without payment of wages for the month worked.

After that, the client turned to the friendly organization “Positive Women” for help. She was offered two options for reaching an agreement with the agency on the payment of the earned money. However, Vika refused due to blackmail by the HR manager. After all, the latter threatened that they would notify all agencies about the woman’s HIV-positive status, as well as write a police report against her.

When the REAct documentator heard about this, she immediately scheduled a one-on-one consultation with Victoria to discuss an action plan to resolve the situation. The woman, accompanied by a documentator, sent a complaint to the management of the agency regarding the selection of nannies and wrote a statement to the police about forcing disclosure of the secret of the diagnosis and blackmail. After that, the head of the agency apologized to the client for the actions of her subordinate, who was fired after some time. Currently, the client receives psychological, humanitarian, and financial assistance from the specialists of the “Positive Women” organization.