By Sumaiyah Ali
World AIDS day remains significant. The world celebrates 1st December as World AIDS day each year. The motto behind celebrating this day remains to broaden general awareness about AIDS. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is a pandemic disease. The immune deficiency virus infection causes it. It shatters an immune system.
The world identified the HIV virus in 1984. World AIDS Day was first observed in 1988.in August 1987, James W. Bunn and Thomas Netter conceived this day. They were public information officers for the Global Program on AIDS at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.
Various organizations around the world shift attention to the HIV epidemic every year. They endeavor to increase the knowledge and awareness of HIV. 37.9 million people lived with HIV at the end of 2018. According to the World Health Organization:
- Doctors tested 79%.
- They treated 62%.
- Professionals suppressed the HIV virus by 53%.
- They prevented others from risk of getting infected by the HIV virus.
Medical sciences discovered treatments for HIV. They include modified formulas to secure those living with HIV. They fight against discrimination too. However, many suffering from HIV do not have access to treatments, tests, and medicines. Therefore, HIV exists even today.
World AIDS day is the first global health day. 101,600 suffer from HIV in the United Kingdom. Doctors diagnose 4,300 individuals with HIV there. 367 million people carry the HIV virus. Discrimination represents an unavoidable truth. Brazil retains 718 thousand of cases of HIV. The United Nations and the World Health Organization require people to recognize how to prevent it.
Deaths caused by HIV have reduced by 26% in the previous five years. That is to say, seventeen million individuals have received treatment. The Joint United Nations Program on AIDS states this. However, 15,000 people died in 2015. Misinformation remains a daunting challenge too.
The Ministry of Health says that 20% of Brazilians do not know that they suffer from this disease. Therefore, prevention and information are vital. Individuals should not transmit and contract it. Put differently, World AIDS day remains significant.
Technology and medicines have advanced. Medicines aid to live healthy and long lives. They prevent HIV from transmitting too. Therefore, people can treat AIDS with drugs. Moreover, an individual’s quality of life and survival increases. Pre-exposure and Post-exposure prophylaxis is effective in HIV prevention methods.
Anti-Retroviral Therapy
64% of Brazilians receive anti-retroviral therapy, says the Ministry of Health. Eloisa Moreira, clinical research manager at Evidencias-Kantar Health says that: ‘It prevents HIV from multiplying in a body. HIV stops to reproduce. A body’s immune cells live longer. They protect the body against infections. This treatment maintains the number of viruses in a body low. Periodic examinations verify if the amount has increased or is scant.
These tests identify mutations in the virus too. Therefore, doctors know which changes to make in treatments. Screenings are significant to initiate treatments at favorable times.’
Communities Make The Difference
The theme for World AIDS Day in 2019 is ‘Communities make the difference.’ Communities perform significant roles at national, international, and local levels. Advocacy and leadership of communities make sure that responses remain grounded and relevant. They leave no one behind and place people at the center. Shrinking space for civil societies and reduced funds have jeopardized the efforts to sustain advocacy.
More exceptional mobilization of communities addresses the barriers that stop communities’ delivery of services. For instance, no social contracting modalities and restrictions on registrations. Communities should advocate strongly. It ensures that people respect human rights, AIDS remains on the political agenda and decision-makers are accountable.
However, people should support those living with HIV, celebrate those 35 million individuals who died from HIV-related disease, raise funds, combat the prejudice that such people encounter to cope with, and recognize the facts about HIV. Everyone is susceptible to it and people do not know how to protect others and themselves. What’s more, they should increase awareness by displaying a symbol of World AIDS day. A red ribbon symbolizes this day. They should encourage the progression, prevention, and care of AIDS. Also, they should promote the treatment of this disease, and celebrate victories, for instance, increased access to prevention, services, and treatment. Besides, they can share the cause through social media. Also, private and public partners should raise awareness about the status of this disease. It is among the most destructive pandemics in history.
In 2016, one million died. People do not get tested because they fear stigma. A positive HIV test does not imply a death sentence. Individuals can enjoy contended lives. Therefore, World AIDS day remains significant.