Thirty years of confronting the Aids epidemic in Brazil, 1985-2015

The Brazilian response to AIDS started in 1985, with government, civil society and academic community coming together with common goals. This was strengthened with the establishment in 1988 of an universal public health system (SUS), pivotal to a comprehensive and human rights-based national STD/AIDS programme, aiming at achieving equality, integrality, inclusion and fighting prejudice and discrimination. In 1996 Brazil was a pioneer in providing treatment free-of-charge to all PLHA. This article depicts achievements and setbacks that occurred in these 30 years and the perspectives for controlling and eventually eliminating HIV/AIDS. It is fair to affirm that it is possible to defeat prejudice and discrimination and to confront the unacceptable levels of disparity, fertile ground for dissemination of HIV/AIDS and other epidemics. Tools to eliminate transmission, to adequately treat PLHA, to protect their rights, to eliminate discrimination and to end AIDS are already at hand. However, the needed changes for this to happen involve expansion of access to education, including sexual education and to quality public health care to all. It is also necessary to constant confront conservatism and to combat violence and discrimination. Brazil's track record in the confrontation of AIDS is an invaluable asset to achieve these goals.