Shandong Zhanhua Yonghao pharmaceutical & Tech Co.,Ltd

Experts say that the first step in preventing the spread of HIV is knowing whether you have it.

But sometimes people avoid testing out of fear of judgment. Certain homophobic, moralistic public health campaigns that emerged in the 1980s in response to the AIDS crisis are still deeply ingrained in people's perceptions of the virus across the globe.

"People don't want to get tested and don't want to go to the treatment center if they are going to be stigmatized and then afterwards, discriminated against,” said Josip Begovac, a physician who specializes in treating HIV in Croatia.

Begovac said this is why "integrated" clinics specializing in testing for all kinds of sexually transmitted diseases that are less stigmatized — such as syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia — are generally more successful at reaching those at risk for HIV.

Treatment is available for free in Croatia for anyone who seeks it and has insurance. But it is not available to people who do not have insurance, such as undocumented migrants, Begovac said. And there is only one HIV treatment center in Croatia, so some have to travel long distances — for up to four or five hours — to access care.

An HIV diagnosis doesn't carry the death sentence it once brought. Over the past 30 years, enormous improvements have been made in medicine's ability to treat patients. For most people across the world, drugs are available for free.

Now, people treated for HIV can live normal, productive and healthy lives — those who take medication can have sex without worrying about infecting their partner. Doctors who treat the virus told DW that the recent news about Johnson and Johnson's failed vaccine trial was therefore disappointing, but not the end of the world.