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The HIV/AIDS epidemic, caused by HIV, first appeared in Croatia in 1985. By that point, major routes of transmission and the knowledge of the at-risk groups had been well described by epidemiologists. The first National AIDS Health Protection Programme had been established in 1983, even before the first occurrence of AIDS, with three major strategies: education, prevention of transmission through blood and blood products, and risk reduction.
As of November 2020, there are currently 1511 active cases of HIV infection in Croatia, the majority of which are men. The infection rate is at 2.2 per 100.000, which is significantly below the European Union average of 5.6 per 100.000. HIV is most often contracted through sexual intercourse , majority of which came through male homosexual intercourse. Drug injections with tainted needles account for 4.2% of all new infections.