World AIDS Day, December 1st – All You Need To Know!

World AIDS Day, the day is an annual observation that is commemorated on 1st December on a global scale. It is an initiative of UNAIDS which is a Joint United Nations program on HIV and AIDs. The program targets ending HIV cases by 2030. The United Nations has included the cause in its list of Sustainable Development Goals. The target is set to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.”

World AIDS Day Theme: 

Themes of the day throughout the years;

• In 2010, the day’s theme was “Universal Access and Human Rights”.
• From 2011 to 2015, the day’s theme was “Getting to zero: zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination.Zero AIDs-related deaths.”
• In 2016, the day’s theme was “Hands up for HIV protection: Access Equity Right Now.”
• In 2017, the day’s theme was “Right to health.”
• In 2018, the day’s theme was “Know your Status.”
• In 2019, the day’s theme was “Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Community by Community.”
• In 2020, the day’s theme was “Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Resilience and Impact.”
• In 2021, the day’s theme was “End inequalities. End AIDS.”

What is The Present State of AIDS in The World? 

A report has been published by WHO, on the matter of HIV AIDs according to which the virus infected nearly a 1.5million people in 2020. Of this, 53 percent is shared by young women and girls.

In the wake of the report WHO formed a global community that is going to work with the objective of ending inequalities and ending AIDS.

What is AIDS?

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic condition that potentially decreases the immunity and resistance of the body. It is a viral disease caused by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). It mainly attacks the T-cells of the body. The virus is mainly transmitted through infected blood, semen, breastmilk, from mother to fetus, needles, etc, and spread through the body or tissues present in the body. 

Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a sexually transmitted infection. It can also be transmitted to a newborn through the infected blood of a pregnant or breastfeeding mother.

The symptoms of HIV AIDS include

• fever
• pain in joints
• pain in muscles
• weight loss
• weakness
• sore throat
• loss of appetite, etc

There is still research going on to figure out an accurate cure for the infection whereas, the medication used for the treatment of an infected person slow downs the progression of the disease but does not eliminates it from the body.

What is the Historical Background of World AIDS Day?

The day was observed in 1988 for the first time. The idea to observe world AIDS day as a global occasion was proposed by James W. Bunn and Thomas Netter, who worked for the Global Program on AIDS of the World Health Organisation (WHO). As result, the United Nations program to eradicate AIDs, UNAIDs came into existence in 1996. 

In 2015, all the nations took a pledge to reduce inequalities within and between nations as a part of the Sustainable development Goals of the UN.

Subsequently, The Global AIDS Strategy 2021-2016:End Inequalities, End AIDS, and Political Declaration on AIDS was adopted by the United Nations High-Level Meeting on AIDs in 2021.