Statement of the CO “100% Life”

Last week we got to know that a criminal case was initiated against the CO “100% Life”.

Having obtained information about this fact from open sources, we may suggest that the similar, yet futile, cases have already been initiated during 2016-2019. These were a backlash for the bold statements of the civic sector and the anti-corruption activities.

The criminal case against the CO “100% Life” was initiated by Andrey Derkach:

• attendee of the KGB High School;
• former advisor to Nikolay Azarov;
• a MP, former member of the Party of Regions;
• active lobbyist of Russia’s interests.

In this criminal case Andrey Derkach presented allegations not only against the CO “100% Life”, but personally against Dmitry Sherembey and Vitaliy Shabunin.

Moreover, on February 28, 2020 Rudi Giuliani, a famous American politician and lawyer, recorded and published a joint video with Andrey Derkach on the Internet, where he practically reiterates his statements and ungrounded accusations. In connection with this, we would like to state the following.

The statements by Andrey Derkach tarnish the reputation of Mr. Giuliani and, in our opinion, are aimed at undermining the international support of Ukraine.

All of the presented allegations are false, ungrounded and aiming to smear the organizations which demonstrate results in combating corruption and protect the patients’ rights in Ukraine. In our opinion, Mr. Giuliani, in fact, inadvertently assists the beneficiaries of the corruption arrangements in Ukraine to neutralize their greatest bane.

We consider all these actions, among other things, as the personal revenge of the corruption beneficiaries against Dmitry Sherembey and Vitaliy Shabunin. They created such a number of problems to the corrupt clique in Ukraine that it has never faced before.

We do hope that Mr. Giuliani understands the risks to his personal reputation he creates by inviting in his TV studio a graduate of the institute that had long been training the KGB staff, and now prepares the FSB personnel.

We are, as always, open to any questions and investigations, we have nothing to conceal. We have undergone a number of checks by the Prosecutor’s Office, the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police. Our procedures and policies meet the highest standards of the international partners, which is confirmed by the opinions of the Big Four independent international audit companies confirming the CO “100% Life” compliance with the financial discipline and targeted use of the grant funds. Moreover, CO “100% Life” has been awarded by the accolade of the U.S. President and the rating by the Global Fund.

Background: 

CO “100% Life” (previously the Network of PLWH) is the largest patient organization in Ukraine, whose mission is the fight for life.

CO “100% Life” works with patients and for patients, inter alia, representing the interests of people living with HIV in 25 regions of Ukraine.

CO “100% Life” has been operating since 2001.

and is the principal recipient and implementer of the projects of the Global Fund (since 2007) and USAID (since 2013).

Every year the activities of the CO “100% Life” undergo not less than 4 audits by the leading international audit companies Deloitte and PWC.

CO “100% Life” is the leading partner of the government in the implementation of the health reform and the developer of the eHealth system.

In 2016 CO “100% Life” received the PEPFAR Best Partnership Award.

Since 2016, the organization is the country’s best charity of 2016 and 2017 according to the Ukrainian Charity Forum.

Annually CO “100% Life” provides services to more than 190 thousand of patients, 90 thousand of whom live with HIV.

Due to the CO “100% Life” advocacy activities on access to treatment, $47,900,000 of savings were achieved only in 2017 on procurements of antiretroviral therapy medicines.

In 2018, $2,000,000 were saved due to the HepC medicines price decrease.

In 2019, $4,000,000 were saved due to advocacy efforts aimed at access to the TB medicines. 

Thanks to the CO “100% Life” all HIV-positive people in Ukraine are provided with ARV therapy, the state program on HepC treatment is expanded, the health procurements for TB treatment are stabilized.