On December 1, we mark the World AIDS Day. In Bulgaria HIV appeared into the public domain in the mid-1980s. The thought about it, though dreaded, was rarely perceived as a real threat. AIDS was present in jokes and sensationalism in the tabloids, but life kept its undisturbed course. At the time, the authorities were confused over "the plague of the twentieth century" and did not know how to react - whether to close HIV-infected people in insulators, or reintegrate them into society. What is the situation today, 30 years later?

According to Dr. Radosveta Stamenkova, CEO of the Bulgarian Family Planning Association, Bulgarians have not yet parted with their risky thinking about AIDS, ignoring the possibility that it might happen to them. While in Bulgaria HIV prevalence is below the average for EU countries, the number of new persons with HIV is crawling up: in 2006 there were 83 new cases; in 2010 - 163, and since the beginning of 2014 - 195. At the top of the ranking are the big cities - Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna. In a society like ours, in which parents talk to their children about sex education half-heartedly and youngsters themselves are not very well familiar with methods of prevention, the road to sexual education must pass through schools, something that is missing in Bulgaria so far.

AIDS can be countered not with fear but with knowledge on how to protect yourself and the person next to you. In this sense, the most significant contribution is the Programme for Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS launched in 2004 and financed by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, with its traditional AIDS campaigns, medical check-ups and mobile teams for free and anonymous counseling and testing for HIV/AIDS. 65% of new cases are registered in the offices of the Programme, says its director Dr. Tonka Varleva, adding that by November 21, 2014, the number of registered HIV infected people in the country reaches 2,025. The most vulnerable group is that of men who have sex with other men, which accounts for 43% of new cases.

"The proportion of new HIV-infected persons who are injecting drug users decreased from 46% in 2008 to 11% in 2014. Three years ago, young people under 29 were more than half of new HIV cases as in 2014 their share dropped to 29%. Over 37,000 people have tested only in the summer campaigns for prevention and control of HIV/AIDS”, says Dr. Varleva, adding, “As a failure I would point out that we have not done enough to reduce discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS."

The state provides free treatment to those in need, whether medically insured or not, says Dr. Varleva. There are five medical units for treatment of patients with this disease as part of the infectious clinics in Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Pleven and Stara Zagora. The treatment of a patient with an HIV positive status costs from 5,000 to 7,500 euros per year. Dr. Varleva states that 89% of patients who started treatment in 2007 are alive and continue to be treated. Among them there are even people who were diagnosed with the condition in 1987 - 1988. What is being done for the social reintegration of those living with HIV/AIDS?

"We support the work of four non-governmental organizations of people living with HIV/AIDS. They provide advice on the treatment and inclusion of the family to the HIV status of individuals and social support. This year there was a big meeting on these issues. In 2015 active work will continue to solve the social and health problems of people with HIV/AIDS", Dr. Varleva said in conclusion.

English Rossitsa Petcova