Statements and Webcast
Poland
H.E. Mr. Adan Fronczak , Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Health
9 June 2011
- Statement: English (Check against delivery)
Statement Summary
ADAM FRONCZAK, Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Health of Poland, said his country’s efforts to maintain effective, equitable and sustainable responses to HIV must be based on a stable and coherent State strategy, independent of political influences. The Polish policy had been developed in accordance with the “three zeroes” recommendations and the multisectoral response. Its creation had involved Government ministries, people living with and affected by HIV, international partners and the private sector.
Since 2001, the Ministry of Health had offered antiretroviral therapy to every patient who fulfilled the necessary medical criteria, he said. Thanks to that strategy, Poland had achieved a significant decrease in the number of AIDS cases, and HIV patients were living longer and enjoying a higher quality of life, which enabled them to re-establish their social and family roles. Still, the country was struggling to secure the continuous universal access and accurate preventive measures that would enable it to continue confronting the changing epidemiological trends, he said, adding that its actions were focused on protecting human rights and eradicating stigma and discrimination.
Source: GA/11090