Mr. President,

May I take the opportunity to congratulate you on your assumption of the Presidency of this Special Session of the General Assembly. Let me assure you of the full support of the Hungarian delegation in the discharge of your important duty.

Mr. President,
Distinguished Delegates,

Fifteen years ago, HIV/AIDS was recognised in Hungary as one of the major epidemiological challenges of recent decades, and it is even now considered to be an issue of utmost importance. Hungary also believes that, to meet this challenge, the response should comprise a wide range of societal aspects, including, inter alia, cultural, human rights, as well as epidemiological ones.

Hungary belongs to countries with low HIV/AIDS prevalence. I will touch upon a few basic data and characteristic features of the HIV/AIDS situation in our country, followed by a short summary of our policy decisions and actions that have contributed to maintaining this relatively favourable situation.

Between 1985 and 2000, altogether 879 HIV positive persons were detected, 766 of them with an identification code, while 133 remained anonymous. The cumulative HIV incidence rate was 85 per one million population at the end of 2000. The annual mean of newly detected coded HIV positive persons was 48, an incidence rate of 4,7 per million.

The proportion of foreigners among HIV positive persons is considerable. By the end of 2000, altogether 221 HIV positive persons originating from 56 countries were recorded, representing 29% of all registered HIV positive persons. It is noteworthy that a number of these persons arrived in Hungary with the explicit purpose of having an HIV test.

As it is worldwide, transmission categories show changing patterns. Heterosexual transmission of the infection is increasing. Females represent 13% of all registered HIV positive persons, with a growing prevalence tendency. The number of registered HIV positive drug users remained low, only two were identified until the end of 2000, in spite of the fact that the number of drug abusers is rising at an alarming rate. Recognising the risks of HIV transmission among drug users, the Hungarian health authorities continue to make significant efforts to address this problem.

The presented data clearly indicate that the HIV/AIDS epidemic has been kept at a relatively low level in Hungary from the time of its first detection up to now. This has partly been the result of strict epidemiological measures, introduced immediately after the appearance of the first HIV positive cases in 1985 and the consistent attitude of the Hungarian authorities during this fifteen-year period. Hungary has constantly followed a practice in line with the main principles described in the Draft Declaration that we are called upon to adopt at this Special Session, with special emphasis on the title ,,Prevention must be the mainstay of our response'' It is also acknowledged that prevention, care, support and treatment are inseparable and mutually reinforcing interventions.

In Hungary, traditional epidemiological surveillance has been developed along with voluntary counselling and testing possibilities, particularly in high risk groups, providing HIV positive persons with information, advice, promoting the understanding of society, and contributing to combating stigmatisation and discrimination. With the help of education and the media, nation-wide preventive programmes, intensive campaigns have been organised, financed and implemented, with the strong involvement of the civil society. Following this practice has proved to be successful in Hungary so far.

Possibilities for early detection of HIV infection, as well as recent developments in the area of anti-retroviral therapy hold out hopes of reducing the burden of the disease all over the world. Efforts should be made to provide the highest possible standard of treatment for HIV/AIDS in all countries.

Facts on HIV/AIDS worldwide are shocking and call for concerted actions. The Hungarian government fully supports the spirit of the Draft Declaration, the commitment to address the HIV/AIDS crisis and to take action on global, regional and national levels. The Hungarian Government is devoted to contribute to the successful implementation of the Declaration.