Prof. Monika Bociąg-Jasik, an infectious disease specialist and head of the Polish AIDS Society, cautioned that the number of HIV infections in Poland has been increasing in recent years.
"Since 2022, this number has been on the rise, and we must remember that diagnosed cases are only the tip of the iceberg because the disease can remain asymptomatic for many years," she said.
The global HIV/AIDS epidemic began over four decades ago, with Poland recording its first HIV case in 1985, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
By the end of last year, nearly 33,000 infections had been recorded in the country, over 4,000 people had developed AIDS, and 1,496 had died, according to data cited by Polish state news agency PAP.
Globally, nearly 40 million people were living with HIV in 2023. Around 1.3 million new infections were reported last year, and 630,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses.
World AIDS Day, established by the World Health Organisation (WHO), is observed annually to raise awareness and promote prevention.
Experts stress the importance of testing and prevention as HIV is primarily transmitted through sexual contact and contaminated needles.
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Source: IAR, PAP