Who has HIV in Poland?
Revisited

‘”We have succeeded” – says the Ministry of Health when inquired about the Polish HIV/AIDS epidemic. “We have developed effective institutions, good systemic solutions, a dense net of non-governmental organisations. We cope!” – it adds, and then falls asleep.

Jakub Janiszewski’s book is an attempt to interpret this dream. And this is not an ordinary dream. It is dream of someone who breaches reproductive rights, patronizes minorities, chases people who use drugs, and does not provide a decent sex education. It is about someone who forgot about prevention, who has a week civil society sector and less than friendly heathcare. But they are asleep, as if these problems were relevant for them. But if not for them – than for whom? Who has HIV in Poland?’ (Political Critique)

Jakub Janiszewski’s book Who has HIV in Poland?, published in 2013 by Political Critique, revealed the complex face of HIV policy worlds in Poland. We return to it here in 2020 to ask the author about the process of developing the book and about it’s reception in the difficult, Polish context, and also to inquire if and how HIV/AIDS policy worlds have changed over time.