Fighting AIDS in Portugal

The responses of public health authorities (1983-2000)

Abstract

The first official case of HIV and AIDS infection in Portugal was confirmed in 1983. Faced with the threat of a global epidemic caused by an unknown virus, Portugal responded to the WHO's call in 1985, creating institutions with the aim to support state decisions, epidemiological study and control, diagnosis, dissemination of information and educating the population. Portugal has come a long way from initially denying the existence of the disease and refusing to disclose the positive result to patients. The serious case of contamination of haemophiliacs with a batch of Factor VIII imported from an Austrian laboratory with the dead dozens of dozens of patients, force the Portuguese public health authorities to create organizations able to face the fighting against AIDS. By trying to control the serious drug addiction problem after the Portuguese revolution of April 1970, the conservative society was able to change the attitude and pass groundbreaking legislation worldwide and implementing a successful programme to control AIDS infection among injecting drug users. Issues such as the results of these measures in effectively controlling the AIDS epidemic and the impact they had on Portuguese society at the end of the 20th century will be addressed in this paper.