One HIV test can change everything: Three stories from Ukraine

The Community Action for HIV Control project (CAHC) is making a marked difference in Ukraine’s fight against HIV and AIDS – even in the midst of war. Led by Pact and funded by the U.S. government, CAHC is accelerating the country’s efforts to achieve epidemic control by 2030. Through improved prevention, testing, and linkages to care, CAHC is focusing on priority populations that often can be hard to reach. This includes veterans.  

CAHC supports the provision of lifesaving services in 14 regions of Ukraine. Between April and July, more than 22,000 people accessed free, confidential, and safe HIV testing. In instances of a positive result – 426 cases – people received professional support from Ukrainian NGOs and promptly started treatment.  

A critical part of Pact’s work is strengthening the capacity and performance of local care providers. This ensures lasting impact, even after the CAHC project ends. Through targeted training and mentorship from Pact, local NGOs and social workers are improving index testing, client-centered services, the use of data, and more.  

For those who receive HIV services, our efforts often come down to a key moment, when a client decides to learn their HIV status. Clients often express how impactful it is that someone was there for them – a trained, supportive professional who did not turn away when they needed someone most. For Artem, Vitalii, and Oleh, this made all the difference.  

Artem
Natalia, a social worker with the Ukrainian NGO Light of Hope, had noticed a group of young people several times in the center of Hadiach. They were always together — laughing loudly, sometimes dancing right on the street — cheerful, open, full of life. She wanted to approach them to talk about HIV, but she waited for the right moment. 

"I suspected that some of them might be at risk of HIV. But how do you approach them not as a ‘social worker’ but as a person who simply wants to offer support?" Natalia recalls. 

Her moment came in June when she happened to see one of the young men alone. Natalia introduced herself, and they started chatting about life, friends, and parties. During the conversation, Artem said that he occasionally used non-injectable drugs. 

"Just at parties," he said. "Why would I get tested if everything feels fine?" 

Natalia gently explained the risks of HIV and the benefits of early detection. Eventually, Artem agreed to take a rapid test. The result came back positive. 

Artem was stunned. But Natalia didn’t leave him alone — she offered support, explained the next steps, and referred him to a doctor. Artem immediately began antiretroviral therapy (ART). 

Natalia asked if Artem had a regular partner and suggested inviting her for testing. Her result was negative. Today, the couple supports each other. He takes ART, and she takes PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis). They both attend regular consultations, openly talk about HIV, and say that this situation isn’t the end—but the beginning of a new, more mature phase of life. 

"The scariest part isn’t the positive result — it’s the thoughts that flood your mind in the first minute after it," Artem says. “If Natalia hadn’t stayed with me, I would’ve just run away." 

Vitalii
Vitalii is a veteran of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Everything changed when his wife was suddenly hospitalized in critical condition. Two weeks later, she died. After the funeral, Vitalii learned something he couldn’t comprehend: Since 2016, his wife had been living with HIV and had never disclosed her status — neither to him nor to the doctors caring for their 5-year-old daughter. 

"It felt like someone turned off all the lights around me. Fear. Panic. A deep emptiness inside. I didn’t know where to go or what to fear more—the truth or what would happen to my daughter if something happened to me," Vitalii recalls. 

A comrade with whom Vitalii had served stepped in. "Hang in there," he said. “I know someone who can help.” He handed Vitalii the business card of a social worker with the Ukrainian NGO 100% Life Dnipro Region, a partner in CAHC. 

Vitalii took an HIV test, and the result was positive. The ground shifted beneath him. He sat in silence, hands clenched. But he wasn’t alone. 100% Life Dnipro acted immediately. A psychologist was there to help Vitalii name his emotions—fear, shame, confusion. A social worker explained what to do next. No pressure. No unnecessary words. Just human support. 

He was registered for care and began ART. That’s when it was discovered that his daughter had never been tested, so Vitalii’s social worker arranged a referral to a pediatric specialist. 100% Life also helped Vitalii find a job, obtain legal consultation, and deal with paperwork. Most importantly, the NGO has stayed by his side.  

"We don’t just test. We hold a person’s hand when they need it most,” says Vitalii’s social worker, Tetiana. “The silence, the tears, the confusion—we know that state. Our job is to help them get through it. No drama. Just respect." 

Oleh
Oleh, a construction worker in Kryvyi Rih, hadn’t been feeling well for a long time — weakness, night sweats, weight loss. But he avoided going to the doctor because of fear, long queues at clinics, and especially the reluctance to leave home during martial law because of the war. 

"I kept putting it off," Oleh says. "I thought it would pass on its own. And I was ashamed to go to the doctor with these kinds of issues. Plus, I’d read all sorts of things on forums online." 

This is common, and it’s why the NGO Ukrainian Resource Center introduced index testing combined with park and street outreach. This means social workers go to public places and offer people rapid HIV testing on the spot. This approach has proven highly effective, as it reaches those who wouldn’t go to a medical facility on their own. 

One day, a social worker, Denys, was at a city park telling passersby about HIV rapid testing. Oleh stopped to listen and recognized his symptoms in Denys’ words. 

"He spoke calmly and clearly,” Oleh says. “And somehow, I wasn’t afraid to come closer." 

Oleh's test was positive. The initial emotions were overwhelming, but Denys stayed by his side, calmly explaining the next steps. 

"I remember his words: ‘This is not a sentence. What matters now is to act and start treatment. You’re not alone,’" Oleh recalls. 

Says Denys: "Our experience shows that index testing and street outreach are essential tools. They help us reach people who don’t even suspect they might be living with HIV. And it’s human connection that breaks down fear." 

Oleh has now been on ART for several months. His condition has stabilized, he’s back at work, and he feels much better.  

"I’m alive,” he says. “And now I know that HIV is not the end. It’s the beginning of a fight — but one that’s worth it.” 

Names have been changed to protect clients’ privacy.