On May 20 the Russian authorities terminated the OST program in Crimea
Opioid substitution therapy (OST) patients in Russia-occupied Crimea have been denied live-saving treatment, as a result 10 people died. This was announced during the press conference held in Kyiv on June 19. The event was organized by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance in Ukraine as part of the Support. Don’t Punish global advocacy campaign. The support was provided by the Public Health Initiative of the International Renaissance Foundation.
According to the expert, 800 OST patients in Crimea have been left without treatment, and more than 1,000 patients in June faced the same threat in areas of the Donbas region where the counter-terrorism operation (CTO) is being carried out.
“Thank to a humanitarian project launched in May 2014, specialized hospitals in Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, and Kirovohrad have provided 80 patients with OST treatment: 57 from Crimea and 23 from the Donetsk oblast. Due to the escalating situation in Donbas, we expect to take in another two dozen refugee patients from the CTO regions. In addition to medicine, the patients will be provided housing, food, and social support,” said Pavlo Skala.
Olena Kucheruk, the acting director of the IRF Public Health Initiative, said: “In April, our foundation and the Open Society Foundation found the resources to provide support to the Alliance’s humanitarian project to help 100 refugees from Crimea and Donbas in the most difficult transition period (through August). Unfortunately, our resources are limited, so we hope the government will stop ignoring the situation and finally take responsibility and provide funding to help refugees, including chronically ill patients.”
Opioid substitution therapy has been offered in Ukraine since 2004. There are currently more than 8,100 drug users undergoing treatment. On May 20 the Russian authorities terminated the OST program in Crimea.
Contacts:
International HIV/AIDS Alliance in Ukraine
Pavlo Skala
+380 50 382 51 78
(+380 44) 490 54 85
skala@aidsalliance.org.ua
