GENERAL DATA ABOUT THE COUNTRY
Country population: 5,4 Millions
National GDP: 75 billion US dollars in 2014
EU membership: EU Member country
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL FACTSHEET
Estimated number of PLHIV: Between 1000 and 1500
Number of registered PLHIV: 628 up to 31 December 2015
Key populations at risk identified in national prevention programs:
Number of patients on ARV: About 60%.
Number of new infections for the latest annual reported period: 86 (79 Slovaks + 7 foreigners) in 2015
Percentage of affected populations for the latest annual reported period:
The source for the epidemiological data: National reference centre for HIV/AIDS prevention in the cooperation with the National Institute of Public Health, Bratislava
TESTING PROFILE
National policy/strategy or other recommendations from your government on HIV testing: Yes
Number of VCT centers in the country: 12-14
Availability of anonymous/confidential HIV tests: Yes
Availability of pre- or post- testing counseling: Yes
Testing is free for anyone who wishes to get tested: Some private VCTs ask for payment for drawing bood and for anonymous testing. Free of charge testing is available anonymously in NRC for HIV/AIDS prevention, in NRC and other state institutes HIV VCT is payed by health insurence companies..
Testing can legally be performed by: Medical staff, and non-medical staff with appropriate training in community settings
Testing in non-medical settings: Yes - NGO Odyseus and NGO Prima
Community based testing: Yes - till now just in 2 – NGO Odyseus and NGO Prima
Community-based checkpoints in the country: Yes - NGO Odyseus and NGO Prima
Mobile testing in the country: Yes - NGO Odyseus
Number of people tested in the last annual period: All together about 200 000 tests/year, most of them for blood/tissue donors
Number of targeted testing to key populations (if available): MSM – 400 in NRC for HIV/AIDS prevention during the EU project SIALON II
Regular community testing for other STDs: Sometimes /NGO Odyseus by rapid tests/
Reported by: assoc. prof. Danica Staneková, PhD
From organisation: NRC for HIV/AIDS prevention at the Slovak Medical University
Total number of registered HIV infection: 512 Slovaks + 127 foreigners were confirmed HIV-positive
Estimation of total number of people living with HIV: 1500-2000 (unofficial estimate)
Data for 2013
Anything else to add about new diagnoses?; Was there more or less diagnoses than usual?; Any trends? Were there any new locations or clusters?:In 2013 there was an increase in total numbers. Most of patients are living in Bratislava. It was said to be a record number of new cases in the history of Slovakia. In 2012 it was 46 new diagnoses, in 2013 it was 83. However, there is no comparison of number of provided testing published yet (03/2014). There seem to be no changes in the trends related to locations - cities and Bratislava region remain for the highest numbers of HIV cases. Also majority of the new diagnoses remain identified within men who have sex with men. The age of HIV transmission in men decreased.
Sources for this information: