New Delhi: Every year on December 1, World AIDS Day is observed to raise awareness about AIDS which is caused by HIV infection’s spread. The day also mourns those who have passed away from the disease. The full form of AIDS is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and it is a life-threatening condition which is caused by HIV whose full form is human immunodeficiency virus. The HIV virus attacks the patient’s immune system and reduces its resistance to other diseases. In this article, we will learn more about this day including history, significance and theme.
The History of World AIDS Day: From Conception to Global Observance
In August 1987, James W. Bunn and Thomas Netter, two public information officers for the Global Programme on AIDS at the WHO in Geneva first conceived World AIDS Day. They pitched the idea to Dr. Jonathan Mann, Director of the Global Programme on AIDS which is now called UNAIDS. He approved the idea and agreed that World AIDS Day’s first observance should be on December 1, 1988. Bunn recommended December 1 as the date so that Western media would cover World AIDS Day extensively after the US elections and before the Christmas holidays.
Significance of World AIDS Day: Raising Awareness and Fighting Stigma
Since HIV infection cannot be cured at present, it is important to raise awareness about AIDS, especially in rural areas. Once considered a chronic health condition which could not be managed, the treatment of HIV has come a long way with advances in HIV prevention, diagnosis, management, and care. Now, people with HIV have the probability to live long, and they live healthily. In 2023, an estimated 39.9 million people were living with HIV globally. Approximately 630,000 people died from HIV‑related causes in 2023 and an estimated 1.3 million people acquired HIV in 2023.
World AIDS Day 2024: Theme
According to the World Health Organisation, the theme of this year’s World AIDS Day is “Take the rights path: My health, my right!” Under this theme, WHO is calling on global leaders and citizens to champion the right to health by addressing the inequalities that hinder progress in ending AIDS. The theme calls for the removal of legal and social barriers like discriminatory laws and criminalization that hinder access to healthcare and social support for people with HIV.
The full form of AIDS is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and it is a life-threatening condition which is caused by HIV whose full form is human immunodeficiency virus. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
