Life4me+ has launched an international project to enable access to ART when abroad

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Life4me+, together with partners and doctors, helped people living with HIV receive treatment in countries where they found themselves due to lockdown. In 2020, more than 1,000 people received support and life-saving medicines. Over the years the work has continued and in 2022 it developed into an international migrant and refugee support project called "Stay on ART".

"Stay on ART" provides navigation to facilitate access to treatment for people living with HIV, who are resident abroad.

Moving to another country or temporary labor migration is not necessarily easy and presents many challenges. One of them is to make sure you are able to continue taking care of your health. The "Stay on ART" project provides answers to the most frequently asked questions, based on experience and thousands of requests.

• Is it possible to carry antiretroviral therapy with you?

• How and where to get ART?

• Is it possible to buy treatment in pharmacies?

• Where to go for support in emergency situations?

On the project website www.stayonart.com it provides step-by-step algorithms for obtaining medical care and ART, brief instructions for completing the necessary documents, useful links and contacts for public organizations ready to provide assistance.

The geography of the project covers 53 countries of the WHO European Region. Currently, the site contains data on 12 countries: Armenia, United Kingdom, Germany, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Montenegro and Switzerland. The information is translated to 6 languages: English, French, Arabic, Russian, Serbian and Ukrainian. Over time, the list will be expanded and data will be updated to reflect geo-political and legislative changes.

If you are travelling to a country where information is contradictory or not readily available, follow these guidelines wherever possible.

• Study the available information in the context of HIV for the country you are going to.

• Aim to take at least a 3-months supply of treatment with you

• Start gathering information and documents as soon as you arrive: the process of applying for and receiving ART can take a long time.  

• Try to find local community organizations and contact them for information and support.

In 2022, Life4me+ helped more than 500 people living with HIV to receive ART and medical care in a new country. With the help of "Stay on ART" we hope to reach tens and hundreds of times more people. And to achieve this goal, we need your support. If you are a doctor, share this information among patients, if you are from the community, spread the word in social networks, personal blogs and groups, if you represent a public organization, become our partner.