- Polish HIV statistics
- HIV test - see what it looks like
- Treatment as a form of prevention
- Efficient HIV care system
- Knowledge about HIV saves lives
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Although statistics show that the number of deaths from AIDS is declining globally, there are still regions where the new disease curve is rising. There are already effective drugs that inhibit the development of the disease, but in order to control the epidemic, systemic solutions are needed to facilitate diagnosis and access to treatment.
A press conference on the eve of World AIDS Day noted the progress in AIDS treatment around the world since the late 1990s. In the countries of Western and Central Europe, including Poland, there is a gradual decrease in the number of deaths caused by AIDS. Therapy is also much more effective. As emphasized by Dr. Grażyna Cholewińska, a voivodeship consultant in the field of infectious diseases, while in the 1990s the average survival time from diagnosis was 8 years, the currently used cART antiretroviral therapy allows patients to extend their life by up to 55 years, which means that their life expectancy is not much different from that of he althy people. Unfortunately, there are still areas in the world where the percentage of infected people reaches even a dozen or so percent of the population - the worst is in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa. There is still no effective vaccine - it is estimated that it will not appear earlier than 2022.
Polish HIV statistics
In our country, antiretroviral therapy has been used since 1997. Since then, it has been possible to increase the early detection of HIV infections and to use methadone therapy to significantly reduce the number of infections by injection in the community of people who inject drugs, thus reducing the number of infections in group up to 25 years of age. In recent years, the percentage of infections through sexual contact has increased. Currently, most cases of carriage are detected in the age group of 25-40 years, i.e. young adults. From the beginning of the epidemic in the mid-1980s to June 2015, 19,299 cases of HIV infection were registered in Poland, including 3,262 cases of AIDS, approx. people died as a result of the disease. The exact number of patients is unknown - it is estimated that the carriers may be 30,000-35,000 people.
HIV test - see what it looks like
Treatment as a form of prevention
Dr. Cholewińska emphasized that treatment is an important form of prevention, as the early introduction of therapy reduces evena 96 percent risk of infecting your partner. Prevention through treatment is especially important in the case of pregnant women - a virus carrier who undergoes treatment before or during pregnancy has a 100% chance of giving birth to a he althy child. Therefore, since 2010, the HIV test has been included in the basket of tests for pregnant women reimbursed by the National He alth Fund. It is voluntary; in 2014, only 24 percent of them underwent it. future mothers - nevertheless their number grows every year. Treatment recommendations have also changed. While in the 1990s, antiretroviral drugs were only administered to patients with clinical symptoms of AIDS, they are now administered to all carriers, regardless of the severity of the disease, as earlier therapy has a better prognosis.
Efficient HIV care system
The AIDS treatment system in Poland is rated exceptionally well. In 2014, PLN 272 million was spent on this purpose, and in the current year, the planned expenditure is almost PLN 290 million. Since 2001, the treatment program has been uniform throughout Poland. There is no regionalization, and all patients receive access to clinics and medications immediately after the infection is diagnosed - this is one of the few areas of Polish medicine where there are no queues and no waiting for an appointment with a specialist. All drugs used in the world (there are about 30 of them) are also available from us. Nevertheless, there is still a need for AIDS education. NIK after the to control the system of treatment of AIDS patients, he recommended that the proportions of expenses be changed - currently 98 percent of the treatment is spent on treatment. funds, and for prevention, including education - only 2 percent.
Knowledge about HIV saves lives
There are still many damaging myths about AIDS, such as that the contraceptive pill prevents infection or that AIDS can be cured. Only one in ten Poles has tested for HIV; it is estimated that 50-70 percent. the infected are not covered by treatment because they do not know that they are sick. This is a serious challenge for GPs and social educators. In this context, the president of the Foundation for Social Education, Magdalena Ankiersztejn-Bartczak, recalled the European education and support program for infected women - SHE and the campaign "Something connects you?" Conducted by the National AIDS Center (an agency of the Ministry of He alth). Get an HIV test. People of culture are also involved in education about HIV and the fight against prejudices and exclusion of "positive" people - an example is e.g. a performance at the IMKA theater in Warsaw en titled "Pozytywni" directed by Krzysztof Czeczot.
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