By Yana Panfilova & Helen Petrozzola
December is Universal Human Rights Month and reminds us that health is not a privilege or a service extended out of goodwill—it is a universal right. Yet in war-torn Ukraine, that right is being tested daily. Frequent power outages, attacks on critical infrastructure, and the ongoing displacement of millions have made even basic healthcare a struggle to sustain. As war continues to uproot millions, the destruction of healthcare facilities, the disruption of treatment supplies, and the growing psychological toll all reveal a more profound truth: vulnerability does not arise from illness or circumstance alone, but from the failure to apply human rights equally and consistently.
For Ukrainians living with or affected by HIV, this failure can mean the difference between life and death. Advocates and activists are working hard to ensure access to lifesaving treatment for people living with HIV remains as stable as possible. Still, the system remains fragile and heavily dependent on external support. Ukraine cannot yet fully secure its own treatment and HIV testing supplies, and with shifting global health priorities, the sustainability of these programs is under growing pressure. In many regions of Ukraine, especially near the frontline, clinics have been destroyed, medical workers displaced, and access to antiretroviral treatment or essential prevention tools — including HIV testing, condoms, and PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis, a daily medication taken by people who are HIV-negative to reduce their risk of contracting HIV)— has been disrupted for months at a time.
In the regions illegally occupied by Russia, the situation has become even more dangerous: Ukrainians living with HIV are often coerced into accepting Russian passports in exchange for access to treatment. For many, this means choosing between lifesaving therapy and forced citizenship — a blatant violation of human rights and international norms protecting civilians under occupation. But it is not only infrastructure that breaks in war — it is the fragile system of rights and protections that people rely on to receive care with dignity and without stigma or neglect. Amid this crisis, young activists like Yana Panfilova, who was born with HIV in Ukraine, the founder of the youth network Teenergizer, continue to defend the right to health as fundamental to Ukraine’s resilience and recovery. Her work and that of her peers remind the world that care, solidarity, and justice are inseparable.
Mini-bios
Yana Panfilova – Ukrainian HIV activist, founder of Teenergizer, and a bachelor’s student in the program “Global Law” in the Netherlands.
Olya Panfilova is the Director of Teenergizer. She is a public health specialist with many years of experience in HIV prevention as well as support and care for people living with HIV in Ukraine and beyond. She has collaborated with numerous international initiatives aimed at strengthening the rights of key populations and developing sustainable services.
Helen Petrozzola – NPCA Board Member, Chair of NPCA’s DEIA Committee, RPCV Ukraine 1998-2000, PC/Ukraine Director of Programming & Training 2005-2007, and longtime collaborator with Yana on HIV/AIDS advocacy initiatives in Ukraine and beyond.