# Ukraine HIV Research Training Program

> **NIH NIH D43** · SUNY DOWNSTATE MEDICAL CENTER · 2021 · $80,966

## Abstract

The New York State International Training and Research Program (NYS-ITRP) at SUNY Downstate
Health Sciences University proposes to provide training to improve access to COVID-19 services to
people living with HIV (PLWH) in Ukraine. This goal will be achieved by systematically assessing the
service gaps affecting PLWH in Ukraine and creating a modular training curriculum for Ukraine’s HIV
and COVID health workforce. The project will build on the HIV research training infrastructure and
capacities developed during the previous years of the parent D43 grant Ukraine HIV Research
Training Program. Key partners include the Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy and the
National University of Kyiv-Mohyla (NaUKMA). Our consortium is ideally suited to accomplish the
proposed aims and produce timely and sustainable health workforce training. The COVID-19
pandemic and the public health response continue to have an unprecedented impact across the
globe. While the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 seems to be indiscriminate, some populations
experience more severe consequences compared to others. The impact of COVID-19 and associated
health disparities due to HIV status have been particularly acute in low- and middle-income countries,
including Ukraine. Key factors that increase the severity of impact include socioeconomic
vulnerability, presence of co-morbidities that increase severity of COVID-19 disease, and disruption in
receiving vital health services. In Ukraine, PLWH, many of whom have a history of illicit drug use or
sex work, are vulnerable to all these factors. To ensure uninterrupted provision of HIV and COVID-
related services to PLWH, an effective public health response should include an objective
assessment of existing service gaps and contributing factors and the development of a workforce with
specific knowledge of COVID-19 impact and skills to address emergencies. Specific aims include
analyzing trends in HIV service provision and assessing the impact of COVID-19 and health
sector response on key indicators; identifying service gaps and factors contributing to gaps
in the HIV treatment cascade and COVID-related service provision to PLWH; identifying
priorities for capacity building for Ministry of Health (MoH) personnel, the Public Health
Center, regional health departments and public health centers, and HIV service workforce; and
increasing the capacity of public health and medical professionals in sustaining key service
provision during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and other health emergencies. Upon
project completion, the curriculum will be further developed, scaled up, and sustained by our key
educational partners at the NaUKMA, the National Academy of Postgraduate Education, and the
Public Health Center of the MoH of Ukraine.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10415695
- **Project number:** 3D43TW010562-05S1
- **Recipient organization:** SUNY DOWNSTATE MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Jack A DeHovitz
- **Activity code:** D43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $80,966
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-06-02 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10415695

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10415695, Ukraine HIV Research Training Program (3D43TW010562-05S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-29 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10415695. Licensed CC0.

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