Mr. President,
Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an honour to address thé United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS on behalf of thé Slovenian government. Slovenia already aligned itself with thé statement delivered yesterday by thé distinguished Minister for Health and Social Affairs of Sweden on behalf of thé European Union and we fully subscribe to it. I would like to take this opportunity to briefly present Slovenia's experience and policy on HIV/AIDS.
 

Mr. President,

I am privileged to say that Slovenia is a low-level epidemic country. Far less than one individual per 1000 inhabitants is living with HIV/AIDS. During thé last five years, thé annual reported incidence rates have remained stable, on average only six cases per million inhabitants. Men who have sex with men have been most affected. But HIV infection prevalence in a sampled core group seems to have stabilised at a level of a few percent, and has consistently remalned below five percent. Fortunately, in contrast to many other countries in thé Central and Eastern European region, there is as yet no evidence of a rapid spread of HIV among thé growing population of injecting drug users and their sexual partners.

Recognising thé need for multisectoral approach, thé latest national strategy for HIV prevention and care has been adopted at thé multisectoral national consensus conférence in 1995 and confirmed by thé Health Council at thé Ministry of Health in 1996. Thus, prevention and care have already been mainstreamed into différent sectors' activities. Also, thé National AIDS Committee within thé Ministry of Health includes, in addition to health professionals, members from four other ministries and from thé civil society.

The Slovenian Government has responded early and effectively. Since mid-eighties, information, education and communication activities have aimed at reducing risk-taking behaviour and encouraging responsible sexual behaviour among youth and general population. In addition, very importantly, thé groups at highest behavioural risk have been also targeted. Men who have sex with men were supported to design their own preventive interventions. National network of low threshold centres for thé prévention and treatment of drug addiction was established on a primary healthcare level. In addition, thé Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs and thé Ministry of Health have supported non-governmental organisations to implement harm reduction programmes for injecting drug users.

As thé minister of Health, I am pleased to say, that everyone in need has access to voluntary confidential and also anonymous counselling and HIV testing, effective treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, and high quality clinical care for HIV infection, including highly active anti-retroviral therapy. Also, safe blood supply is ensured, and HIV/AIDS surveillance according to WHO recommendations has been established.

However, there is no room for complacency. Current activities not only have to be sustained, but strengthened. We are fully aware of the window of opportunity we still have and that the investment now will result in a lower HIV/AIDS burden in the future. Thus, prevention must be the mainstay of our response, while we still continue to provide care and support to those affected. Reducing risk-taking behaviour and encouraging responsible sexual behaviour among youth is the highest priority. In addition, as in our region, currently, HIV/AIDS to a great extent remains concentrated in sub-populations at higher behavioural risk, we should urgently improve the coverage with high quality harm reduction interventions for inj ecting drug users and develop preventive interventions for commercial sex workers and their clients.
 

Mr. President,

In conclusion, I would like to express Slovenia's readiness to share its knowledge and experience with other countries and to participate in any regional initiative or global effort for developing strategies and effective response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. HIV/AIDS is an epidemic on an unprecedented scale with no borders and with devastating effects on people and societies. Slovenia supports the establishment of a global HIV/AIDS and Health Fund proposed by H.E. Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations. However, we should realize that this battle should not only be a battle against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. There is an urgent need for a global approach to all issues of inequality among people of this world regarding the right to health and the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress. With this in mind I sliecially stress also the growing price inaccessibility of new drugs for the rare diseases such as certain types of cancer or hereditary diseases.

We believe that this special session represents a historic opportunity for coordinated and comprehensive global action to combat HIV/AIDS and an initial step to the new level of international solidarity with the people who seek health. It is our common responsibility to seize this opportunity and act on our words and commitments. There simply is no alternative. And there certainly is no time to waste.
 

Thank you.