Shaping the HIV epidemic in Poland proceedings from the first Polish workshop on cascade of care in HIV

Abstract

In October 2016, a workshop was held in Warsaw gathering experts and activists involved in different areas of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) response. The purpose of this meeting was to reassess current needs in controlling the HIV epidemic in Poland in relation to recently launched UNAIDS goal of 90-90-90. During the meeting, several points of action were established to be considered as key factors to improve the response to HIV epidemic in Poland. Those were estimating the number of people living with HIV in Poland using mathematical modelling based on real data sampling, expanding new testing options in non-medical settings, i.e. rapid testing, co-testing (HIV, HCV, STI), strengthening linkage to care after establishing the HIV diagnosis in non-medical settings, expanding HIV testing in medical settings, starting with introducing routine HIV testing for indicator conditions as a standard procedure across different medical specialties, knowing the number of HIV persons already in care, and on effective cART, continuing to fight stigma and discrimination through the means of social education and counselling.