Hungary draws attention to the fight against AIDS

On the occasion of World AIDS day on 1 December 2011, the Ministry of National Resources and the WHO Country Office, Hungary, in cooperation with the media, drew attention to the importance of the fight against AIDS. Dr Miklos Szocska, State Minister for Health in the Ministry of National Resources, Dr Zsofia Pusztai, Head, WHO Country Office, Hungary, and Dr Sarolta Karpati, Director of the National Institute for Dermatology and Sexual Diseases, held a mutual press conference.

About 2,500 people are living with HIV in Hungary but one third of them are not aware of the infection. The Ministry of National Resources is now preparing the 2nd National AIDS Strategy for the period of 2011-2015, the main aim of which is to reduce the number of sexually acquired new HIV infections by a minimum of 25% and to alleviate AIDS morbidity and mortality rates by at least 25% by 2015.

In order to raise awareness of the issue on 1 December, Hungarian television staff wore the symbol of World Aids Day, the red band, and also transmitted thematic programmes.