Implementation Period: January – December 2023 & January – December 2024
Donors and Partners: Alliance for Public Health, as Principal Recipient of the Global Fund in 2023 and 2024
Overview:
The Online Doctor Consultations and HelpNow Clinical HUB initiative was developed to ensure continuity of healthcare services for people living with HIV (PLHIV) and key populations (KPs) in Ukraine and among displaced communities abroad. This initiative integrated telemedicine solutions to provide remote consultations, medical support, and multidisciplinary care through Help24, addressing the unique challenges created by the ongoing war and healthcare disruptions.
Key Objectives:
- Provide accessible, high-quality telemedicine services for PLHIV and KPs, mitigating barriers to in-person healthcare.
- Strengthen multidisciplinary healthcare support through a centralized Clinical Hub, offering expertise in HIV treatment, mental health, and co-infections.
- Enhance the Help24 telemedicine platform to include expanded medical services such as HIV PrEP, opioid agonist therapy (OAT), and tuberculosis (TB) co-infection management.
Implementation & Achievements:
- Telemedicine Expansion: Conducted 23,142 online medical consultations across Ukraine and internationally: 11,364 consultations in 2023, and 11,778 consultations in 2024 through Help24 Platform
- HIV Care & Support: Provided medical consultations to 5,538 Ukrainians living with HIV: 2,861 individuals in 2023 and 2,677 individuals in 2024
- Medical Workforce Development: Established a multidisciplinary medical team of 38 doctors, including infectious disease specialists, mental health professionals, and HIV clinicians from 23 out of 25 regions of Ukraine.
- Clinical Hub Meetings: Conducted 87 weekly Clinical Hub meetings, offering structured peer learning, medical case discussions, and professional knowledge exchange: 45 sessions in 2023, and 42 sessions in 2024
- Medical Data Sharing & Coordination: Processed 553 patient medical data forms for treatment continuity and medical assistance: 231 patients in 2023, and 322 patients in 2024
- Policy & System Integration: Strengthened the integration of digital medical services into Ukraine’s healthcare system by collaborating with the Public Health Center of Ukraine and leading healthcare organizations.
- Continuity of Care: Ensured ART (antiretroviral therapy) continuity, mental health support, and harm reduction services for internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees, preventing treatment interruptions and improving long-term health outcomes.
Impact & Strategic Significance:
The Online Doctor Consultations & HelpNow Clinical HUB project has demonstrated the effectiveness of telemedicine in crisis settings, ensuring healthcare access for vulnerable populations during wartime disruptions. By combining digital consultations with a multidisciplinary medical approach, this initiative has created a scalable model for future telehealth expansion.
Beyond service delivery, this initiative has contributed to strengthening the national healthcare infrastructure, supporting policy development for telemedicine integration in Ukraine. Additionally, it has played a crucial role in building medical expertise, providing ongoing education and support for healthcare providers, and ensuring that displaced individuals continue to receive high-quality, stigma-free medical care.
