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assignment on aids day

What we can do: motivate and educate sample activities for hiv/aids awareness.

The ideas listed below challenge everyone -- members of the community, teachers, HIV/AIDS educators and members of the faith, business, and health communities -- to use their creativity to inform themselves and their peers about the AIDS epidemic.

In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified numerous programs that work -- HIV/AIDS-related programs that have been proven statistically to work. For information on HIV/AIDS-related programs, call CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) at (770) 488-3168. Information on DASH can be found at www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/ .

In the Community

Work with state and local health departments to involve your community in HIV/AIDS awareness.

Develop workshops for parents on the role they play in shaping their children's behavior.

Organize community panels about sensitive and taboo issues and develop materials to help facilitate discussions in these settings.

Find out what social and cultural norms increase vulnerability to HIV in your community (e.g. social pressure for boys to have sex early).

Use the sample proclamation and officially declare World AIDS Day in your community.

Observe a "Day Without Art," to signify the loss of artists to AIDS and to increase awareness of AIDS.

Organize an HIV/AIDS fund-raising walk or run.

Distribute HIV/AIDS Fact Sheets and red ribbons to the community to wear on World AIDS Day.

Hold a toy or food drive to help children affected by HIV/AIDS.

Contact a local book store to co-sponsor an event.

Ask Congress to increase HIV/AIDS funding.

Decorate Christmas trees with red ribbons and tags with the names of community residents who have died of AIDS.

Organize musical performances and educational seminars for all age groups.

Contact The NAMES Project and bring panels from The AIDS Memorial Quilt to your community, (415) 882-5500.

Set up a special display of books and resource materials about HIV/AIDS at your local library.

Volunteer or make a donation to an AIDS program.

In the Classroom

The classroom provides numerous opportunities to educate students about HIV/AIDS.

Place a question box in classrooms where students can ask anonymous questions that will be answered by teachers at appropriate times.

Start a peer education program where students can educate other students about HIV/AIDS.

Invite a young adult with HIV or a health practitioner who works with HIV as a guest speaker.

Train young people as peer educators on life skills, sexual health, and AIDS education.

Encourage teachers to assign homework for children to interview their parents and relatives on the topic of HIV/AIDS.

Develop a pen-pal exchange for children and young people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in different cities and countries.

Show videos in which other teens talk about their personal experiences with HIV/AIDS. [See "HIV/AIDS Education Videos."]

Distribute information on HIV testing and prevention. [See " Factsheets ."]

Distribute "Myth Versus Reality" and " HIV/AIDS Quiz " from this book.

Create tabletop displays with World AIDS Day messages and place them in cafeterias and dining halls.

Write an article or letter to the editor of the school paper; include statistics about the prevalence of HIV and AIDS in your school or community.

Encourage students to work with younger students in local middle and elementary schools to challenge social norms that put them at risk for HIV.

Organize discussions about sensitive and taboo issues; develop materials to facilitate discussions.

Use cross-curriculum planning to incorporate HIV/AIDS materials into courses.

Show films or hold a film festival/discussion about films dealing with HIV/AIDS, such as the following:

Jeffrey (R)

The Cure (PG-13)

It's My Party (R)

Roommates (NR)

Fotos del Alma (NR)

Playing by Heart (R)

Longtime Companion (R)

Boys on the Side (R)

Common Threads (NR)

Philadelphia (PG-13)

A Mother's Prayer (PG-13)

Love! Valour! Compassion! (R)

Bloodbrothers, The Joey DiPaolo Story (NR)

Silverlake Life: The View from Here (NR)

Colleges and Universities

There are many ways to be involved with HIV/AIDS programs on your college campus.

Invite a local HIV testing center/clinic to your campus on December 1 or ask the campus student health center to test at no charge for the day. Contact the National Association of People with AIDS at (202) 898-0414.

Coordinate with popular restaurants to give out free condoms; pass out literature focusing on the high correlation between HIV transmission and alcohol consumption.

Have free condoms available in bathrooms.

Organize HIV/AIDS workshops with student educators in an informal setting such as a student center or residence hall lounge. Distribute information on HIV testing and prevention. [See Fact Sheets in this booklet.]

Co-host seminars with medical and/or law schools.

At work, launch a Business Responds to AIDS program or a Labor Responds to AIDS program. [Contact CDC's National Prevention Information Network, (800) 458-5231, or the National AIDS Fund Workplace Resource Center, (202) 408-4848.]

Establish December 1 as a day to address issues of HIV/AIDS at your workplace.

Educate employees on the protection of people with HIV/AIDS and on non-discrimination laws.

Insert World AIDS Day messages with bills or paychecks and print on packaging materials..

Form a team to raise money for a local AIDS Walk.

Plan a training session on HIV/AIDS discrimination.

In Faith Communities

In your faith community, encourage a long-term commitment to HIV/AIDS.

Present the "Interfaith Declaration" to your church council. Propose that your church community make a similar declaration.

Participate in or establish a collaboration with interfaith observances of World AIDS Day in your community.

Hold a candlelight service of remembrance for those affected by HIV/AIDS; contact your local AIDS ministry program and coordinate with them.

Join with other congregations and ring your steeple bell 20 times at 2:00 pm on December 1 to signify the 20 years of the epidemic. [For more details, contact the Council of Religious AIDS Networks at [email protected] .]

Check the partial listing of national interfaith contacts in "Faith Communities and HIV/AIDS" for materials and ideas for collaborations.

Encourage your religious leaders to speak about HIV/AIDS in sermons, and invite an individual living with HIV/AIDS to share his or her story.

Have your youth group volunteer at an HIV/AIDS program or clinic.

Observe a moment of silence during services for those who have died of AIDS.

Contact the national office of your religious affiliation or organization to ask for information regarding HIV/AIDS programs and policies.

Start an AIDS ministry within your congregation or with others in your community.

Start a service program. Members of your congregation can work with a local AIDS group to provide meals, transportation, shelter, companionship or other services to people living with HIV/AIDS.

Ask associations of people living with HIV/AIDS to talk with young people about their experience with HIV.

For more suggestions, see "HIV/AIDS Education Videos."

In Government

Governments should participate in World AIDS Day. Effective HIV prevention programs can benefit from high-level political commitment.

Provide your community with statistics on HIV infection rates in your area, and use these numbers as a call to action. (Contact your health department.)

Hold meetings with district leaders to brief them on the World AIDS Day theme, I Care . . . Do You? Youth and AIDS in the 21st Century .

Sponsor a World AIDS Day information session to discuss HIV prevention, education and treatment needs in your community. Personally invite student groups and various community organizations.

Develop policies that address unmet needs, especially those of traditionally underserved populations, including African Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, Native Americans, young people, men who have sex with men, injection drug users, rural communities, women, the homeless and the incarcerated.

Adopt a proclamation urging citizens to take part in World AIDS Day activities and observances.

Encourage your communities to join the White House in dimming their lights as a visual demonstration expressing national and worldwide commitment to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. For details, check the White House Office of National AIDS Policy's Web site www.whitehouse.gov/onap .

Prepare a press package describing World AIDS Day events locally and in your state.

Invite speakers to your State Capitol or City Building to speak on HIV/AIDS.

Advocate for local, state and national policies that promote the rights of all people who are living with, affected or orphaned by HIV/AIDS.

In Health Care Settings

In health care settings, the campaign against HIV/AIDS should continue not only on World AIDS Day, but throughout the entire year.

Organize training sessions with employees and health professionals on such topics as dealing with AIDS issues and communicating with patients.

Distribute free condoms to patients making office visits.

Develop a questionnaire for an HIV risk history.

Copy, display and distribute reading material and Fact Sheets about AIDS in the office regularly.

Offer routine HIV prevention counseling and free testing services on World AIDS Day.

Organize workshops and assemblies on HIV/AIDS at local schools to educate students and teachers.

Contact AIDS service organizations serving various ethnic and racial groups and ask that they make a presentation to your staff regarding cultural competence and sensitivity about HIV.

Mobilize the communication department in your institution to develop World AIDS Day messages to be distributed throughout the institution and surrounding communities.

Encourage local health centers to set aside special times to provide health services to young people.

Have trained peer counselors serve as links between young clients and health care personnel.

Design a specific area where patients can confidentially obtain condoms and information about HIV and other STDs.

Play an HIV/AIDS educational video in your waiting room.

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What is World AIDS Day?

Each year, on 1 December, the world commemorates World AIDS Day. People around the world unite to show support for people living with HIV and to remember those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses.

Each World AIDS Day focuses on a specific theme, which this year will be Let Communities Lead . Because change depends not on a moment but on a movement, the message “Let Communities Lead” will not only ring out on one day. It will be at the core of activities that will build up across November, see the release of the World AIDS Day Report – entitled Let Communities Lead – in late November, reach a crescendo on World AIDS Day on 1 December, and continue to echo throughout December and beyond.

This year’s theme joins a growing list of challenges that World AIDS Day has alerted people to globally. Founded in 1988, World AIDS Day was the first ever international day for global health. Every year, United Nations agencies, governments and civil society join together to campaign around specific themes related to HIV.

• Awareness-raising activities take place around the globe.
• Many people wear a red ribbon, the universal symbol of awareness of, support for and solidarity with people living with HIV. 
• People living with HIV make their voice heard on issues important in their lives.
• Groups of people living with HIV and other civil society organizations involved in the AIDS response mobilize in support of the communities they serve and to raise funds.
• Events highlight the current state of the epidemic.

World AIDS Day remains as relevant today as it’s always been, reminding people and governments that HIV has not gone away. There is still a critical need for increased funding for the AIDS response, to increase awareness of the impact of HIV on people’s lives, to end stigma and discrimination and to improve the quality of life of people living with HIV.

2023    Let Communities Lead

2022    Equalize

2021    End inequalities. End AIDS. End pandemics.

2020    Global solidarity, shared responsibility

2019    Communities make the difference

2018    Know your status

2017    My health, my right

2016    Hands up for HIV prevention

2015    On the Fast-Track to end AIDS

2014    Close the gap

2013    Zero discrimination

2012    Together we will end AIDS

2011    Getting to zero

2010    Universal access and human rights

2009    Universal access and human rights

2008    Stop AIDS. Keep the promise—lead, empower, deliver

2007    Stop AIDS. Keep the promise—leadership

2006    Stop AIDS. Keep the promise—accountability

2005    Stop AIDS. Keep the promise

2004    Women, girls, HIV and AIDS

2003    Stigma and discrimination

2002    Stigma and discrimination

2001    I care, do you?

2000    AIDS: men make a difference

1999    Listen, learn, live! World AIDS campaign with children and young people

1998    Force for change—world AIDS campaign with young people

1997    Children living in a world of AIDS

1996    One world, one hope

1995    Shared rights, shared responsibilities

1994    AIDS and the family

1993    Time to act

1992    AIDS—a community commitment

1991    Sharing the challenge

1990    Women and AIDS

1989    Our lives, our world—let’s take care of each other

1988    A world united against AIDS

2023 / Let Communities Lead

2022 / Equalize

2021 / End inequalities. End AIDS....

2020 / Global solidarity, shared...

2019 / Communities make the...

2018 / Know your status

2017 / My health, my right

2016 / Hands up for HIV prevention

2015 / On the Fast-Track to end AIDS

2014 / Close the gap

2013 / Zero discrimination

2012 / Together we will end AIDS

2011 / Getting to zero

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World AIDS Day What You Should Know

World AIDS Day has been observed on December 1 every year since 1988 and serves as a reminder of the global struggle to end HIV-related stigma. It’s an opportunity to honor those we have lost, and is also a rallying cry to commit to working toward a day when HIV is no longer a public health threat. This year’s theme for World AIDS Day is “ World AIDS Day 35: Remember and Commit .”

Today, reiterated by new guidance from the World Health Organization , we know that Undetectable = Unstransmittable which equals Zero Risk . Meaning, people diagnosed with HIV, who remain on proper and consistent medication and treatment to keep the HIV virus down to an undetectable level on lab tests, cannot transmit the virus and as a result, carry zero risk of spreading the virus to others.

There are numerous ways to get involved with World AIDS Day this year, by learning the facts and putting the knowledge into action . Another way to show support for those living with HIV/AIDS is by wearing the signature red ribbon on December 1.

You can learn more about World AIDS Day at www.worldaidsday.org .

GLAAD Resources

HIV Reference Guide

Studio Responsibility

Find a Testing Center Near You 

Glaad research.

2023 State of HIV Stigma Report

2022 State of HIV Stigma Report

2021 State of HIV Stigma Report

2020 State of HIV Stigma Study

Helpful Organizations

• ACT UP  (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) is a diverse, non-partisan group of individuals committed to direct action to end the AIDS crisis.
• The American Foundation for AIDS Research  (amFAR) is a leading organization dedicated to the support of HIV/AIDS research.
• Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) offers hands-on support services in New York City and HIV/AIDS education and advocacy for hundreds to thousands nationwide.
• HIV Medicine Association  is an organization of U.S.-based HIV medicine professionals
• The International AIDS Society  is the world’s leading independent association of HIV professionals.
• The National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) advocates for the lives and dignity of all people living with HIV/AIDS, especially the more than a million Americans who live with it today.
• Office of National AIDS Policy  (ONAP) emphasizes prevention through wide-ranging education initiatives and helps to coordinate the care and treatment of citizens with HIV/AIDS.
• +Life Media  is a media group focused on propelling stories of people living with HIV into the mainstream.
• UNAIDS , the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, is an innovative partnership that leads and inspires the world in achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) Department of HIV/AIDS provides evidence-based, technical support to Member States in scaling up treatment, care and prevention services and supply of HIV commodities to enable a comprehensive and sustainable response to HIV in countries.
• Kaiser Family Foundation’s HIV resources

HIV/AIDS Fast Facts

• People living with HIV today, when on effective treatment, lead long and healthy lives and cannot transmit HIV . Treating HIV can suppress the virus to the point it is no longer detected. When HIV is undetected, it is untransmittable, the key message of the U=U campaign .
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , nearly 40% of new HIV infections are transmitted by people who don’t know they have the virus.
• HIV.gov : In 2020, people aged 13 to 34 (GenZ and Millennials) accounted for more than half (57%) of new HIV diagnoses.
• Black Americans account for more HIV diagnoses (43%), people living with HIV (42%), and the most deaths among people with HIV (44%), more than any other racial and ethnic group in the U.S. Black Americans are just 12% of the U.S. population.
• The CDC reports that the U.S. South experiences the greatest rates of HIV and lags behind in providing quality HIV prevention services and care.
• Medications like PrEP protect people who do not have HIV from contracting HIV. The CDC states that PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when taken as prescribed.

According to Federal Data from the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS)

• New HIV infections in the U.S. have declined in recent years, after a period of general stability. Estimated annual new HIV infections were 12% lower in 2021 compared to 2017—dropping from about 36,500 infections to about 32,100, putting us in a good starting position as we began our work to implement the Strategy. 
• Overall, in 2022, 36% of the 1.2 million people in the U.S. who could benefit from PrEP were prescribed it, compared to 23% in 2019, though significant racial/ethnic and gender disparities persist.
• Nearly 90% of Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program clients receiving HIV medical care in 2022 reached viral suppression, significantly higher than the 69.5% in 2010.  
• Across 55 countries, PEPFAR supports over 63 million people with HIV testing services, and nearly 19 million people with antiretroviral treatment.
• Over the course of its 20 years, PEPFAR has enabled 5.5 million babies to be born HIV-free to mothers living with HIV and trained 340,000 new healthcare workers

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LGBTQ Southerners represent the vibrancy, resiliency, and beauty of the region they call home. The vast majority live in states without statewide  laws  protecting them from discrimination as transgender Southerners face record-high state-sponsored targeting of essential healthcare, free speech, and access to school sports and bathrooms. The South also has the highest rates of new HIV diagnoses, exacerbated and complicated by systemic and historic racism, poverty, and healthcare inequities.

LGBTQ Southerners are not solely defined by these challenges. They’re also parents, friends, siblings, small business owners, teachers, and everyday people. Here are some of their stories.

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What to know.

World AIDS Day is an opportunity for every community and each individual to honor the more than 32 million people who have died worldwide from AIDS-related illness. December 1 is a day for voices to unite by sharing experiences, remembering those lost, and standing together in the fight against HIV.

Annual Observance

Dec 1, 2024

12:00 AM - 11:59 PM ET

Two World Health Organization (WHO) public information officers started World AIDS Day in 1988 as an international day for global health. Since then, it has been observed each year on December 1.

World AIDS Day is a day of solidarity for people around the world who are affected by HIV and for voices to unite by sharing experiences, remembering those lost, and standing together in the fight against HIV. The observance is also reserved as a day to bridge new and effective programs and policies across different sectors around HIV/AIDS.

While great strides have been made since the first known cases of AIDS were reported in 1981, the disease remains a public health challenge. World AIDS Day is an opportunity for individuals and communities to honor the more than 32 million people worldwide who have died from AIDS-related illness.

Every year, United Nations agencies, federal agencies, and societies from across the globe join together to campaign around specific themes related to HIV. To learn more about the History of World AIDS Day and see all the previous themes, visit the UNAIDS World AIDS Day page.

World AIDS Day partner pages

Hiv: 40 years of progress.

June 5, 2021, marked 40 years since the first official reporting, in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) , of five cases describing what later became known as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and what is now HIV Stage III .

" HIV: 40 Years of Progress " is an online exhibition (developed by the David J. Sencer CDC Musuem in association with the Smithsonian Institution) exploring CDC's early response to the HIV epidemic. The exhibit offers a 40-year timeline documenting CDC's historic role in addressing the HIV epidemic in the United States and around the world. It also captures the personal experiences of public health experts who led the CDC investigations that shaped health care policy and saved millions of lives in the process.

Additional partners

• National Institutes of Health
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• United Nations
• United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)
• World Health Organization

World AIDS day digital toolkit

Ending the HIV epidemic starts with knowledge. CDC's World AIDS Day Digital Toolkit provides social media messages, videos, infographics, and other information to raise awareness of HIV among people worldwide and encourage them to get tested and know their prevention options. Resources are available in English and Spanish.

Use the hashtags #WorldAIDSDay and #StopHIVTogether to help spread the word.

Additional resources

• AtlasPlus (includes CDC's domestic HIV surveillance data)
• Fulfilling America's Promise to End the HIV/AIDS Pandemic by 2030 (PEPFAR)
• Global HIV and TB Resources
• HIV: 40 Years of Progress
• Let's Stop HIV Together
• National HIV/AIDS Strategy

CDC provides resources to partners for World AIDS Day, December 1, to raise global awareness of HIV and encourage testing and prevention.

Essay on AIDS for Students and Children

500+ words essay on aids.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or better known as AIDS is a life-threatening disease. It is one of the most dreaded diseases of the 20 th century. AIDS is caused by HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which attacks the immune system of the human body. It has, so far, ended more than twenty-nine million lives all over the world. Since its discovery, AIDS has spread around the world like a wildfire. It is due to the continuous efforts of the Government and non-government organizations; AIDS awareness has been spread to the masses.

AIDS – Causes and Spread

The cause of AIDS is primarily HIV or the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This virus replicates itself into the human body by inserting a copy of its DNA into the human host cells. Due to such property and capability of the virus, it is also known as a retrovirus. The host cells in which the HIV resides are the WBCs (White Blood Cells) that are the part of the Human Immune system.

HIV destroys the WBCs and weakens the human immune system. The weakening of the immune system affects an individual’s ability to fight diseases in time. For example, a cut or a wound takes much more time to heal or the blood to clot. In some cases, the wound never heals.

HIV majorly transmits in one of the three ways – Blood, Pre-natal and Sexual transmission. Transfusion of HIV through blood has been very common during the initial time of its spread. But nowadays all the developed and developing countries have stringent measures to check the blood for infection before transfusing. Usage of shared needles also transmits HIV from an infected person to a healthy individual.

As part of sexual transmission, HIV transfers through body fluids while performing sexual activity. HIV can easily be spread from an infected person to a healthy person if they perform unprotective sexual intercourse through oral, genital or rectal parts.

Pre-natal transmission implies that an HIV infected mother can easily pass the virus to her child during pregnancy, breastfeeding or even during delivery of the baby.

AIDS – Symptoms

Since HIV attacks and infects the WBCs of the human body, it lowers the overall immune system of the human body and resulting in the infected individual, vulnerable to any other disease or minor infection. The incubation period for AIDS is much longer as compared to other diseases. It takes around 0-12 years for the symptoms to appear promptly.

Few of the common symptoms of AIDS include fever , fatigue, loss of weight, dysentery, swollen nodes, yeast infection, and herpes zoster. Due to weakened immunity, the infectious person falls prey to some of the uncommon infections namely persistent fever, night sweating, skin rashes, lesions in mouth and more.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

AIDS – Treatment, and Prevention

Till date, no treatment or cure is available for curing AIDS, and as a result, it is a life-threatening disease. As a practice by medical practitioners, the best way to curb its spread is antiretroviral therapy or ART. It is a drug therapy which prevents HIV from replicating and hence slows down its progress. It is always advisable to start the treatment at the earliest to minimize the damage to the immune system. But again, it is just a measure and doesn’t guarantee the cure of AIDS.

AIDS prevention lies in the process of curbing its spread. One should regularly and routinely get tested for HIV. It is important for an individual to know his/her own and partner’s HIV status, before performing any sexual intercourse activity. One should always practice safe sex. Use of condoms by males during sexual intercourse is a must and also one should restrict oneself on the number of partners he/she is having sex with.

One should not addict himself/herself to banned substances and drugs. One should keep away from the non-sterilized needles or razors.  Multiple awareness drives by the UN, local government bodies and various nonprofit organizations have reduced the risk of spread by making the people aware of the AIDS – spread and prevention.

Life for an individual becomes hell after being tested positive for AIDS. It is not only the disease but also the social stigma and discrimination, felling of being not loved and being hated acts as a slow poison. We need to instill the belief among them, through our love and care, that the HIV positive patients can still lead a long and healthy life.

Though AIDS is a disease, which cannot be cured or eradicated from society, the only solution to AIDS lies in its prevention and awareness. We must have our regular and periodical health checkup so that we don’t fall prey to such deadly diseases. We must also encourage and educate others to do the same. With the widespread awareness about the disease, much fewer adults and children are dying of AIDS. The only way to fight the AIDS disease is through creating awareness.

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World aids day.

World AIDS Day is held on the 1st December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day, held for the first time in 1988.

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World Aids Day Information, History, Cards, Theme, Activities

4to40.com November 29, 2023 Public Awareness 10,406 Views

World aids day is celebrated every year all over the world on 1st of December to raise the public awareness about AIDS ( Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome ). AIDS is a pandemic disease caused due to the infection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus ( HIV ). The day is celebrated by the government organizations, NGOs, civil society and other health officials by organizing the speeches or forums discussion related to the AIDS.

World Aids Day: About

The President of United States declared an official announcement for AIDS Day in the year 1995 which was started following by other countries all across the world. According to the rough estimation, around 25 million people died from 1981 to 2007 because of the HIV infection. Even after the access of antiretroviral treatment at many places, around 2 million people (at least 270,000 of total were children) in 2007 were infected with this epidemic disease.

International AIDS Day celebration has become the most recognized health days celebrations internationally. World AIDS Day celebration offers the key opportunity to the health organizations to increase the awareness among people, most possible access to the treatment as well as discussing the preventive measures.

World Aids Day: History

AIDS Day was first visualized by the Thomas Netter and James W. Bunn in the month of August in 1987. Thomas Netter and James W. Bunn both are the public information officers for the AIDS Global Programme at the WHO (World Health Organization) in Geneva, Switzerland . They had shared their idea about the AIDS day to Dr. Jonathan Mann (Director of the AIDS Global Programme), who had approved the idea and recommended the World AIDS Day observance on 1st of December in the year 1988.

AIDS Day celebration was decided by them to be celebrated every year on 1st of December accurately. They thought that it should be decided far from the election time, Christmas holidays or other holidays. It should be celebrated during time when people and news media could pay more interest and attention in broadcasting the news all across the world.

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The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, also known as the UNAIDS, came into effect in the year 1996 and started promoting worldwide. Instead of being celebrated for only one day, World AIDS Campaign was launched by the UNAIDS in the year 1997 to focus on the AIDS programs, better communications, disease prevention and disease awareness learning for whole year.

In the starting years, the AIDS Day themes were focused only on the children as well as the young people, which were later recognized as a family disease as any person of any age group can be infected with HIV. Since 2007, the World Aids Day was started symbolizing by an iconic display of AIDS Ribbon by the White House.

World AIDS Day Greetings

World AIDS Day Facebook Covers

UNAIDS started organizing the World AIDS Day campaign to be celebrated with the particular annual themes for better global awareness about the disease. Following are the list of all the year wise themes of World Aids Day:

• 1988: Communication
• 1989: Youth
• 1990: Women and AIDS
• 1991: Sharing the Challenge
• 1992: Community Commitment
• 1994: AIDS and the Family
• 1995: Shared Rights, Shared Responsibilities
• 1996: One World and One Hope
• 1997: Children Living in a World with AIDS
• 1998: Force for Change: World AIDS Campaign with Young People
• 1999: Listen, Learn, Live: World AIDS Campaign with Children and Young People
• 2000: AIDS: Men Make a Difference
• 2001: “I care. Do you”?
• 2002: Stigma and Discrimination
• 2003: Stigma and Discrimination
• 2004: Women, Girls, HIV and AIDS
• 2005: Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise
• 2006: Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise – Accountability
• 2007: Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise – Leadership
• 2008: Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise – Lead – Empower – Deliver
• 2009: Universal Access and Human Rights
• 2010: Universal Access and Human Rights
• 2011: Getting to Zero
• 2012: Together we will end AIDS
• 2013: Zero Discrimination
• 2014: Close the gap
• 2015: On the fast track to end AIDS
• 2016: Hands up for #HIVprevention
• 2017: My Health, My Right
• 2018: Know your status
• 2019: Communities make the difference
• 2020: Global solidarity, resilient services
• 2021: End inequalities. End AIDS. End pandemics
• 2022: Global Solidarity, Shared Responsibility
• 2023 : Let Communities Lead

Activities:

Variety of activities can be done on the day of World Aids day celebration to increase the awareness and distribute the message of the theme of particular year. It is very necessary to increase the awareness among people as they are the main target of the program. Some of the activities are written below:

• Community based individuals and organizations should be contacted to plan the World AIDS Day activities, to organize a planned meeting. It can be well started from the local clinics, hospitals, social service agencies, schools, AIDS advocacy groups and etc.
• A single event or sequence of independent events can be determined for better awareness by the speakers and exhibitors through the forums, rallies, health fairs, community events, faith services, parades, block parties and etc.
• A public statement can be submitted to the agency board identifying the recognition for the World AIDS Day.
• Red ribbons should be wore or distributed to others to mark the hope to the schools, work sites or community groups. Electronic ribbons can also be distributed to the social media outlets.
• All the activities (like DVD showings and Aids prevention seminars) of businesses, schools, health care organizations, clergy and local agencies should be encouraged for their great work.
• A candlelight vigil can be held at the public park or the nearest agency where singers, musicians, dancers, poets, story tellers and etc could distribute the message of Aids prevention through entertaining performances.
• World AIDS Day information can be distributed by linking it to the web site of your agency.
• All the planned events and activities should be already distributed through the e-mail, newsletters, mailings or electronic bulletins.
• People can be aware by displaying the exhibitions, posters, videos, flyers, brochures for HIV/AIDS and etc.
• World AIDS Day activities can be informed to a large group of people instantly through the blogs, Facebook, Twitter or through the other social media websites.
• Actively contribute to the other groups of celebrating the World AIDS Day.
• A candlelight celebration can be held in the memory of died person due to HIV/AIDS.
• Religious leaders are encouraged to speak something for AIDS intolerance and dishonor.
• A service can be started to provide the meals, shelter, transportation, companionship for the people with HIV/AIDS. They can also be invited in the social work, worship or other functions to increase their morality.

World Aids Day: Objectives

The purpose of the Aids Day celebration every year to well support the Member States in order to build up the new and effective policies and programmes, to strengthen the health systems as well as to increase the capacity of health sectors towards HIV/AIDS. Some of the main objectives of the Aids Day are listed below:

• To guide the member states for globally increasing the prevention and control measures for HIV/AIDS.
• To offer the member states a technical support for implementing the plan for prevention, care as well as treatment for HIV/AIDS including the testing, counseling of mother for transmitting the infection to the child, STI control and antiretroviral therapy.
• To aware people about the antiretroviral medicines or other commodities which can help them to fight against HIV/AIDS.
• To involve the peer groups in the campaign for getting the most effective result.
• To encourage more students from the schools, universities and social structures to contribute in the competitions organized for the AIDS.
• To decrease and control the number of patients infected by HIV/AIDS as well as to encourage the peer groups for condom.

About AIDS:

AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) caused by the HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) which attack the immune system of the human body. The disease was first recognized in the year 1981. It was first identified by the name of AIDS on 27th of July in the year 1982.

HIV infection can be easily transmitted from one person to the other if they have contacted ever directly through the mucous membrane, bodily fluid or blood. In the earlier period, there was a lot of social stigma for the people with HIV/AIDS. According to the estimate, it has been noted that around 33 million people have been infected with the HIV and 2 million people died because of it each year.

HIV is a virus which attacks the T-cells of the immune system and causes the disease known as AIDS. It is found in the human body fluids like blood, semen, vaginal fluids, breast milk of the infected person which can be passed to others by a direct contact like blood transfusion, oral sex, anal sex, vaginal sex or injecting contaminated needles. It can be passed to the baby by the pregnant women during delivery or through breast feeding.

It was originated in the 19th and 20th century in the region of west-central Africa. Actually there is no any cure for it but the course of disease can be lessens down by some treatment.

Signs and Symptoms of HIV/AIDS:

A person with HIV/AIDS has the following signs and symptoms:

• Sore throat
• Sweats during night
• Enlarged glands
• Weight loss
• Muscle ache

But, in many cases of this disease the initial symptoms are disappeared for many years during which HIV virus cause damages to the immune system which is incurable. The infected person never feels any symptoms during this period and appears healthy.

But, in the late stage of HIV infection (when virus weakens the immune system to fight against it) the person develops illness with AIDS. Person with the late stage infection started showing following signs and symptoms:

• Blurred vision
• Permanent tiredness
• Fever (above 100f)
• Night sweats
• Diarrhea (persistent and chronic)
• White spots on the tongue and mouth
• Swollen glands
• Shortness of breath
• Esophagitis (inflammation of lower esophagus linings)
• Kaposi sarcoma, cancer of the cervix, lungs, rectum, liver, head, neck and the cancer of immune system (lymphomas).
• Meningitis, encephalitis and peripheral neuropathy
• Toxoplasmosis (infection of brain)
• Tuberculosis

There are some myths which are spread in the society about the AID. Aids never spread through the hand shake, hug, sneeze, unbroken skin touch or the use of same toilet.

World AIDS Day Photos

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World AIDS Day (December 1) - Themes, Message, Activities

World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1 every year. The day provides an opportunity for people all over the world to come together in the battle against HIV, to support those who are living with it, and to remember those who have passed away from an AIDS-related illness . World AIDS Day was the first international health day established in 1988. HIV continues to be a global health epidemic due to a number of shortcomings, including division, inequality, and contempt for human rights. World AIDS Day 2022 celebration serves as a reminder to the public and the government that HIV is still a serious problem that requires urgent funding, more awareness, the eradication of prejudice, and improved educational opportunities.

On World AIDS Day , we have the chance to stand in solidarity with the billions of HIV-positive people around the world and show our support by donning a HIV awareness red ribbon on that day. Read on to know the theme of World AIDS Day 2022, how schools and students can contribute and demonstrate their support.

World Aids Day Theme 2021 & 2022

World Aids Day Theme 2021 was ‘End disparities, End AIDS’—rising disparities in access to vital HIV services were highlighted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners, with a particular focus on those who have been left behind, says the official website of world AIDS day.

World AIDS Day Theme 2022 , ‘Equalise’, will be observed on December 1 by WHO and its partners. On the occasion of World AIDS Day 2022, ‘Global leaders and individuals are being urged by WHO to courageously acknowledge and address the disparities that are delaying the efforts to end AIDS and to equalise access to vital HIV services, especially for children and other critical communities and their partners’, as per the official website of WHO.

Read this world AIDS day article further to find out how you can contribute as a student.

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World Aids Day Message

According to the official website of World AIDS Day, National AIDS Trust is dedicated to preventing the spread of HIV, protecting the rights of those who are living with the virus, and combating stigma and discrimination related to it.

In an effort to combat the stigma faced by people living with HIV, National AIDS Trust is urging everyone to provide their support and assistance to eradicate HIV as a barrier to equality and good health in the future. On the occasion of World AIDS Day 2022, they have also started a campaign asking people why they will #RockTheRibbon and share their stories to demonstrate support to the community.

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Quotes on World AIDS Day 2022

On the occassion of World AIDS Day, let us honour the progress in the fight against AIDS and to remember those who have died from the disease. We've collected quotes on World AIDS Day in support of HIV/AIDS awareness that we hope will encourage bravery and unity in the face of this disease.

Also Read | World Mental Health Day 2022: Importance, Theme, And Quotes

Here are a few of the most inspiring quotes on World AIDS Day from historical and contemporary personalities—

“It is bad enough that people are dying of AIDS, but no one should die of ignorance” — Elizaebth Taylor, Actress

“We live in a completely interdependent world, which simply means we cannot escape each other. How we respond to AIDS depends, in part, on whether we understand this interdependence. It is not someone else's problem. This is everybody's problem” — Bill Clinton, President of the USA

“One of the best ways to fight stigma and empower the HIV-positive people is by speaking out openly and honestly about who we are and what we experience” —Alex Garner, HIV Activist

World AIDS Day Activities

HIV continues to be a serious public health concern that has an impact on millions of people globally. It's critical that schools and students speak up and coordinate world aids day activities for students to increase HIV awareness on their campuses. Here are some ideas schools can consider to observe World AIDS Day—

Panel Discussion: Organise a panel discussion with local and national experts who can address the HIV situation as it stands today. People suffering from HIV are also willing to share their personal stories and can be reached out by schools to attend the discussion as speakers.

Also Read | World Students' Day

Red Ribbon Mural: Put red ribbons on a mural to remember the people who died from AIDS-related problems all throughout the world.

Sex-Ed Workshop: Sex education provides students with the knowledge and skills they need to live a healthy sexual life for the rest of their lives. They can learn how to develop healthy relationships, think critically about the world, make informed decisions about sex and be more emopathetic to those who are marginalised.

World AIDS Day Poster: Students can contribute by making posters circling around the theme of World AIDS Day 2022 and showcasing it on their school bulletin boards.

Awareness Programmes: Since HIV/AIDS continues to be a stigmatised topic, students can do their part and raise awareness about the disease and how it affects people. Students can organise community outreaches or rallies with the goal of educating people about AIDS and debunking the myths associated with it.

Also Read | Kerala college students dance their way to raise awareness on AIDS

The red ribbon is a universal representation of HIV awareness and support and an excellent method to spread awareness on World AIDS Day. This day has become the most celebrated healthcare day worldwide because of the ongoing efforts of numerous governments and health organisations around the world. People's awareness of its cause and prevention is growing gradually but steadily.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)

The theme for World AIDS Day 2022, is ‘Equalise’ which will be observed on December 1. 

The red ribbon is a universal representation of HIV awareness and support and an excellent method to spread awareness on World AIDS Day.

The day provides an opportunity for people all over the world to come together in the battle against HIV, to support those who are living with it, and to remember those who have passed away from an AIDS-related illness.

World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1 every year.

World Aids Day Theme 2021 was ‘End disparities, End AIDS’. 

One can organise community events, social media campaigns, awareness campaigns, volunteer work with NGOs, and a variety of other support activities to help people on World AIDS Day.

An AIDS Awareness Programme is a focused effort created to inform people and communities about the risks, prevention, and effects of HIV/AIDS. These programmes' main objectives are to decrease stigma and discrimination, increase understanding of HIV/AIDS, increase public awareness, and promote behaviour changes that can stop the spread of the virus.

Every World AIDS Day has a distinct subject, and this year's theme is "Global solidarity, shared responsibility."

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HIV and AIDS

• HIV remains a major global public health issue, having claimed an estimated 42.3 million lives to date.  Transmission is ongoing in all countries globally.
• There were an estimated 39.9 million people living with HIV at the end of 2023, 65% of whom are in the WHO African Region.
• In 2023, an estimated 630 000 people died from HIV-related causes and an estimated 1.3 million people acquired HIV.
• There is no cure for HIV infection. However, with access to effective HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care, including for opportunistic infections, HIV infection has become a manageable chronic health condition, enabling people living with HIV to lead long and healthy lives.
• WHO, the Global Fund and UNAIDS all have global HIV strategies that are aligned with the SDG target 3.3 of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030.
• By 2025, 95% of all people living with HIV should have a diagnosis, 95% of whom should be taking lifesaving antiretroviral treatment, and 95% of people living with HIV on treatment should achieve a suppressed viral load for the benefit of the person’s health and for reducing onward HIV transmission. In 2023, these percentages were 86%, 89%, and 93% respectively.
• In 2023, of all people living with HIV, 86% knew their status, 77% were receiving antiretroviral therapy and 72% had suppressed viral loads.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) occurs at the most advanced stage of infection.

HIV targets the body’s white blood cells, weakening the immune system. This makes it easier to get sick with diseases like tuberculosis, infections and some cancers.

HIV is spread from the body fluids of an infected person, including blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal fluids. It is not spread by kisses, hugs or sharing food. It can also spread from a mother to her baby.

HIV can be prevented and treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART). Untreated HIV can progress to AIDS, often after many years.

WHO now defines Advanced HIV Disease (AHD) as CD4 cell count less than 200 cells/mm3 or WHO stage 3 or 4 in adults and adolescents. All children younger than 5 years of age living with HIV are considered to have advanced HIV disease.

Signs and symptoms

The symptoms of HIV vary depending on the stage of infection.

HIV spreads more easily in the first few months after a person is infected, but many are unaware of their status until the later stages. In the first few weeks after being infected people may not experience symptoms. Others may have an influenza-like illness including:

• sore throat.

The infection progressively weakens the immune system. This can cause other signs and symptoms:

• swollen lymph nodes
• weight loss

Without treatment, people living with HIV infection can also develop severe illnesses:

• tuberculosis (TB)
• cryptococcal meningitis
• severe bacterial infections
• cancers such as lymphomas and Kaposi's sarcoma.

HIV causes other infections to get worse, such as hepatitis C, hepatitis B and mpox.

Transmission

HIV can be transmitted via the exchange of body fluids from people living with HIV, including blood, breast milk, semen, and vaginal secretions. HIV can also be transmitted to a child during pregnancy and delivery.  People cannot become infected with HIV through ordinary day-to-day contact such as kissing, hugging, shaking hands, or sharing personal objects, food or water.

People living with HIV who are taking ART and have an undetectable viral load will not transmit HIV to their sexual partners. Early access to ART and support to remain on treatment is therefore critical not only to improve the health of people living with HIV but also to prevent HIV transmission.

Risk factors

Behaviours and conditions that put people at greater risk of contracting HIV include:

• having anal or vaginal sex without a condom;
• having another sexually transmitted infection (STI) such as syphilis, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhoea and bacterial vaginosis;
• harmful use of alcohol or drugs in the context of sexual behaviour;
• sharing contaminated needles, syringes and other injecting equipment, or drug solutions when injecting drugs;
• receiving unsafe injections, blood transfusions, or tissue transplantation; and
• medical procedures that involve unsterile cutting or piercing; or accidental needle stick injuries, including among health workers.

HIV can be diagnosed through rapid diagnostic tests that provide same-day results. This greatly facilitates early diagnosis and linkage with treatment and prevention. People can also use HIV self-tests to test themselves. However, no single test can provide a full HIV positive diagnosis; confirmatory testing is required, conducted by a qualified and trained health worker or community worker. HIV infection can be detected with great accuracy using WHO prequalified tests within a nationally approved testing strategy and algorithm.

Most widely used HIV diagnostic tests detect antibodies produced by a person as part of their immune response to fight HIV. In most cases, people develop antibodies to HIV within 28 days of infection. During this time, people are in the so-called “window period” when they have low levels of antibodies which cannot be detected by many rapid tests, but they may still transmit HIV to others. People who have had a recent high-risk exposure and test negative can have a further test after 28 days.

Following a positive diagnosis, people should be retested before they are enrolled in treatment and care to rule out any potential testing or reporting error. While testing for adolescents and adults has been made simple and efficient, this is not the case for babies born to HIV-positive mothers. For children less than 18 months of age, rapid antibody testing is not sufficient to identify HIV infection – virological testing must be provided as early as birth or at 6 weeks of age. New technologies are now available to perform this test at the point of care and enable same-day results, which will accelerate appropriate linkage with treatment and care.

HIV is a preventable disease.  Reduce the risk of HIV infection by:

• using a male or female condom during sex
• being tested for HIV and sexually transmitted infections
• having a voluntary medical male circumcision
• using harm reduction services for people who inject and use drugs.

Doctors may suggest medicines and medical devices to help prevent HIV infection, including:

• antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), including oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and long acting products
• dapivirine vaginal rings
• injectable long acting cabotegravir.

ARVs can also be used to prevent mothers from passing HIV to their children.

People taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) and who have no evidence of virus in the blood will not pass HIV to their sexual partners. Access to testing and ART is an important part of preventing HIV.

Antiretroviral drugs given to people without HIV can prevent infection

When given before possible exposures to HIV it is called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and when given after an exposure it is called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).  People can use PrEP or PEP when the risk of contracting HIV is high; people should seek advice from a clinician when thinking about using PrEP or PEP.

There is no cure for HIV infection. It is treated with antiretroviral drugs, which stop the virus from replicating in the body.

Current antiretroviral therapy (ART) does not cure HIV infection but allows a person’s immune system to get stronger. This helps them to fight other infections.

Currently, ART must be taken every day for the rest of a person’s life.

ART lowers the amount of the virus in a person’s body. This stops symptoms and allows people to live full and healthy lives. People living with HIV who are taking ART and who have no evidence of virus in the blood will not spread the virus to their sexual partners.

Pregnant women with HIV should have access to, and take, ART as soon as possible. This protects the health of the mother and will help prevent HIV transmission to the fetus before birth, or through breast milk.

Advanced HIV disease remains a persistent problem in the HIV response. WHO is supporting countries to implement the advanced HIV disease package of care to reduce illness and death. Newer HIV medicines and short course treatments for opportunistic infections like cryptococcal meningitis are being developed that may change the way people take ART and prevention medicines, including access to injectable formulations, in the future.

More information on HIV treatments

WHO response

Global health sector strategies on HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections for the period 2022–2030 ( GHSSs ) guide strategic responses to achieve the goals of ending AIDS, viral hepatitis B and C, and sexually transmitted infections by 2030.

WHO’s Global HIV, Hepatitis and STIs Programmes recommend shared and disease-specific country actions supported by WHO and partners. They consider the epidemiological, technological, and contextual shifts of previous years, foster learning, and create opportunities to leverage innovation and new knowledge.

WHO’s programmes call to reach the people most affected and most at risk for each disease, and to address inequities.  Under a framework of universal health coverage and primary health care, WHO’s programmes contribute to achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• Global HIV, Hepatitis and STIs Programmes
• Global Health Sector Strategies on, respectively, HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections for the period 2022–2030 (GHSS)
• GHSS report on progress and gaps 2024
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Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening health condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that interferes with the body’s ability to fight infections. December 1 is celebrated as World AIDS Day annually across the globe to spread awareness about the disease and remember all those who lost their lives to it. In this article you will learn about the day and its significance.

As UPSC surprises aspirants with questions linked with what usually is assumed to be trivia; it is advisable that one must scroll through the facts about World AIDS Day to get the basic information. The topic, if at all asked in the UPSC Prelims , will form the part of the current affairs.

Facts about World AIDS Day for UPSC Exam

Read the below-mentioned facts about World AIDS Day; and aid your IAS Exam preparation along with other competitive exams’ preparation.

The topic can be asked as a Current Affairs Question in IAS Prelims. Visit the attached link to attempt practice quizzes on current affairs .

To read more about the other Important International and National days click on the link. Such days and events become very important for UPSC Prelims.

About World AIDS Day

• World AIDS Day was first observed in 1988 and ever since it is celebrated every year. The day is observed to create awareness among people against the spread of HIV infection and also it gives an opportunity to unite in the fight against HIV to show their support for the ones living with HIV.
• The day is used to remember those who have died due to HIV-related illnesses. World AIDS Day is one of the 11 official Global Public Health campaigns of the World Health Organisation(WHO ).
• The theme of World AIDS Day 2021 was “ End inequalities. End AIDS “. The significance of the theme is that it specially focuses on reaching people who are left behind . With the theme WHO and its partners underscored the growing inequalities in access to essential HIV services.

History of World AIDS Day

• This day was conceived by James W. Bunn and Thomas Netter , in 1987 , two officers who worked for the World Health Organisation in the Global Programme on AIDS.
• They proposed this idea of observing World AIDS Day to the director of the Global Programme on AIDS, Jonathan Mann, who recommended the commencement of the World AIDS Day on 1 December, 1988 .
• Later in 1996 the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS , abbreviated to UNAIDS came into existence.

Significance of World AIDS Day

• WHO is encouraging global leaders and citizens to do their best to decrease the inequalities that drive AIDS and to reach people who are currently not receiving essential HIV services.
• The objective of the day is to remind the public and government that HIV is still prevalent and there is still a vital need to increase awareness, fight prejudice, raise money and improve education about the virus and the disease.

About HIV and AIDS

• AIDS is a chronic and a potentially life-threatening health condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which damages the human immune system.
• HIV attacks White Blood Cell (T cells) in the body’s immune system. After entering the body, HIV multiplies itself and destroys these white cells , hence severely damaging the human immune system. Once this virus enters the body, it can never be removed.

Read in detail about HIV and AIDS in the linked article.

Note : As UPSC 2022 approaches, use BYJU’S free Daily Video Analysis of The Hindu Newspaper to augment your preparation.

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Resources - National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day 2024

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Wednesday, April 10 marks National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day (NYHAAD). It has been commemorated annually since 2013 and is directed by Advocates for Youth Exit Disclaimer , an organization that partners with young people and their adult allies to promote effective adolescent reproductive and sexual health programs and policies. NYHAAD is a day to educate and urge policymakers and the public to act regarding the impact of HIV on young people, as well as highlight the HIV prevention, treatment, and care campaigns for this community.

According to the CDC, youth between the ages of  13 to 24 made up 19% of all new HIV diagnoses  in the United States in 2021. The CDC also reports that they are the least likely of any age group to be aware of their HIV infection. Thus, it is key for youth to have access to and receive HIV education, prevention, and testing, as, per the CDC, in 2021 only 6% of high school students have ever been tested for HIV (PDF, 9.88MB). NYHAAD is a crucial part of ongoing efforts to end the HIV epidemic and provides the opportunity to raise awareness about the impact of HIV and AIDS on youth and share important resources that can help combat the HIV epidemic. Please use the resources below to support the ongoing efforts to reduce HIV and AIDS in this community.

Get Involved with NYHAAD

From April 5-11, Advocates for Youth invites the public to take part in  a series of events and activities Exit Disclaimer  in the lead-up to NYHAAD. Check out their  social media toolkit and other resources Exit Disclaimer  to participate.

Share these  social media posts , available in English and Spanish, to help spark conversations about HIV prevention methods to reduce HIV among youth. Be sure to include #StopHIVTogether and #NYHAAD in your posts to amplify your messages!

Read more  about the impact of HIV and AIDS on young people.  Fact sheets  for youth and other individuals, parents, healthcare providers, and education agencies are also available.

CDC’s School Mental Health Action Guide

CDC recently released a mental health action guide for school and district leaders to help them support student and staff mental health. The action guide is a direct response to recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey findings, which show that adolescent mental health has been worsening for more than a decade and that key indicators of poor mental health have reached alarming levels. The action guide can help schools build on what they are already doing to promote students’ mental health and find new strategies to fill in gaps. Explore the action guide and new tools designed to put the guide into practice.

Connecting Conversations: Tips for Parents and Caregivers

Connecting with teens can reduce their risk for poor mental health and other health risks. Find tips for starting the conversation and making it a normal part of your family’s daily activities.

Mental Health Matters

Protecting youth health means protecting youth mental health. Building strong bonds at school, at home, and in the community provides youth with a sense of connectedness—a powerful tool for supporting their mental health. Learn more about youth mental health and the power of connectedness .

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New HIV preventive strategy sparks excitement — and protests — at AIDS conference

Maria Isabel Barros Guinle

A pharmacist holds a vial of lenacapavir, the HIV prevention injectable drug that was shown to be 100% effective in newly published clinical trial data. Nardus Engelbrecht/AP/AP hide caption

A new way to prevent HIV infection is generating great buzz -- and more than a bit of controversy -- at this week’s AIDS 2024 Conference in Munich.

The treatment consists of a twice-yearly injection of a drug called lenacapavir.

Early trial results were released in June and generated great excitement, indicating 100% efficacy. On Wednesday, July 24, the full peer-reviewed results were released at the AIDS 2024 conference, confirming the preliminary data.

The trial was sponsored by Gilead Sciences, the California-based maker of the drug.

This treatment offers an alternative to the current standard of core for HIV prevention efforts for over a decade: taking a pill like Truvada every day.

In clinical trials, this type of preventive drug, called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), can be 99% effective in stopping new HIV infections from sex. In the real world, however, that is not always the case.

People don’t always take their pills. In a study in South Africa, women said they felt there was a stigma to the pill -- a sexual partner might assume they’re taking it because they already have HIV or because they have other partners.

The new trial results, released on Wednesday, point the way to a new preventive strategy.

In a double-blind, randomized study of 5,300 cisgender women in South Africa and Uganda, 2,134 got the injection and the others took one of two types of daily PrEP pills. The trial began on August 2021 and, so far, not a single woman who received the injections has contracted HIV. The participants who received either of the oral PrEP options, Truvada and Descovy, had infection rates of about 2% -- consistent with the infection rates of oral PrEP in other clinical trials.

These results were significant enough for the Data Monitoring Committee -- an independent group of experts appointed to assess the progress of clinical trials -- to recommend that Gilead halt its blinded trial and offer lenacapavir to all study participants. On June 20, Gilead announced these results, and now, all participants can choose to receive the injection.

The study’s focus on women in sub-Saharan Africa is based on HIV data. Despite accounting for 10% of the world’s population, sub-Saharan Africans comprise two-thirds of people living with HIV -- 25.7 million out of 38.4 million. And, every week, about 4,000 teen girls and young women in Africa are newly infected with HIV.

An enthusiastic response

When the early results were announced, there was a groundswell of enthusiasm.

“It’s fantastic,” says Dr. Jason Zucker , an assistant professor of medicine and infectious disease expert at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. “It’s hard to take a medication every single day. A medication that is [given] every 6 months has a lot of potential.”

Dr. Philip Grant , clinical associate professor and director of the HIV clinic at Stanford University School of Medicine, agrees that lenacapvir could help fill a gap in prevention options. “It would be a big benefit in populations that have adherence challenges,” he says.

Despite being 99% effective in some trials, oral PrEP effectiveness drops significantly in the real-world. One study showed PrEP effectiveness to be as low as 26% in certain populations -- men under age 30, for example.

The PURPOSE 1 data published today in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that adherence to the oral medications in the study was low -- meaning that, in the 10% sample of women for which drug levels were measured, most took fewer than 2 tablets per week. But the better the adherence, the fewer the HIV infection rates. Lenacapavir injections, on the other hand, were administered on time to about 92% of participants.

“Medications work when you take them,” says Zucker. “A medication that is given every six months has a lot of potential because, essentially, if you can make two visits a year, you are protected for an entire 12 months.”

Advocacy groups have also expressed enthusiasm about lenacapavir’s preliminary results as a PrEP option. “Lenacapavir would be “a real game-changer,” particularly for people facing stigma and discrimination in low- and middle-income countries,” read a statement by People’s Medicines Alliance -- a global coalition of more than 100 organizations that span 33 countries and that advocate for making medications more accessible.

More trials ahead

Lenacapavir is not a new drug. It’s been approved by the FDA in the United States for multi-drug resistant HIV treatment since 2022 . But PURPOSE 1 is the first clinical trial to test it for HIV prevention.

The PURPOSE 1 trial is part of a larger initiative to improve HIV prevention across the global south. It is one of several studies that are part of ongoing efforts to end the HIV epidemic by 2030.

An ongoing PURPOSE 2 trial is analyzing lenacapavir’s efficacy among cisgender men, transgender men, transgender women and non-binary individuals who have sex with partners assigned male at birth in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, South Africa, Thailand and the United States.

Any eventual approval and widespread use would come with challenges. According to an analysis presented at the 24th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2022), PrEP medications would need to cost less than $54 a year per patient for South Africa, for example, to afford them. Lenacapavir’s cost as HIV treatment in the United States in 2023 was $42,250 per new patient per year. Oral PrEP options, on the other hand, can cost less than $4 a month.

“The biggest gap in prevention isn’t medication, it’s accessing medications,” says Dr. Grant.

Activists across Uganda and South Africa have urged Gilead Sciences to license lenacapavir to the Medicines Patent Pool -- a United Nations-backed organization that partners with governments, industry and other organizations to license medications. This would allow for manufacturing of generic versions of the drug at a fraction of the cost.

These activists fear that history will repeat itself: In 2021, cabotegravir. a long-acting injectable PrEP medication manufactured by ViiV Healthcare, was FDA-approved. The medication is more effective than oral options and only requires one injection every two months after the initiation period. But despite approval for generic versions of the medication, these versions still have to go through the World Health Organization review process to show they are equally effective to the brand version. Because this process takes time, generic cabotegravir will likely not be available in Africa until 2027 .

Since sharing lenacapavir’s early success , Gilead has announced that they intend to “deliver lenacapavir swiftly, sustainably and in sufficient volumes, if approved, to high-incidence, resource-limited countries.” Their access strategy includes developing a voluntary licensing program that would enable generic versions to be produced before the original patent expires. When NPR asked Dr. Jared Baeten, Gilead’s vice president of HIV Clinical Development, about timeframes, he said that estimates will depend on "another trial, a regulatory review and approval."

The matter of pricing

“Cost is going to play into this dramatically,” says Dr. Zucker, “I think and hope we will do everything we can to try to reduce barriers to access.”

A new analysis released at AIDS 2024 on July 23 has shown that the price for injectable lenacapavir could be reduced to as low as $26 to $40 per patient per year -- one thousand times less than its current price in the U.S. But this would only be possible through voluntary license agreements allowing for generic versions to be made, and with competition among companies to produce the generic drug at the cheapest price tag.

In response to these new cost estimates, a group of MSF activists gathered at AIDS 2024 and called for an “immediate global action to break Gilead’s monopoly on lenacapavir.”

NPR reached out to Gilead for comment. A spokesperson responded by email that “the results of PURPOSE 2 are required for regulatory filing, and lenacapavir for HIV prevention remains an investigational drug until approved by regulatory authorities. While Gilead awaits the results of this Phase 3 clinical trial and the potential FDA filing, it is too early to state the price of lenacapavir for HIV prevention. Gilead is committed to access pricing for high-incidence, resource-limited countries. The current price for the approved indication in the heavily treated HIV population will not be our reference.”

The company’s full response can be found in its “Updated Statement on Global Access Planning.”

The UNAIDS Global AIDS Update released in July 2023 demonstrates that there is a path that ends AIDS. The data showed that enabling community-led responses—by people living with HIV, key populations and priority populations, including adolescent girls and young women—is key to ensuring success (2). This World AIDS Day Report takes a deeper ...

Held every year on December 1st, World AIDS Day is an opportunity for students in the United States and abroad to show their support for people living with and affected by HIV. In the U.S., approximately 25 percent of new HIV cases occur among young people between the ages of 13-24. Therefore, it is particularly important for college and university students to make their voices heard and ...

World AIDS Day brings together people from around the world to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic. The day is an opportunity for public and private partners to spread awareness about the status of the pandemic and encourage progress in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care ...

Organize an HIV/AIDS fund-raising walk or run. Distribute HIV/AIDS Fact Sheets and red ribbons to the community to wear on World AIDS Day. Hold a toy or food drive to help children affected by HIV ...

Each year, on 1 December, the world commemorates World AIDS Day. People around the world unite to show support for people living with HIV and to remember those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses. Each World AIDS Day focuses on a specific theme, which this year will be Let Communities Lead . Because change depends not on a moment but on a ...

World AIDS Day #WorldAIDSDay. December 1. #WorldAIDSDay. This is an annual event that serves as a reminder of the global struggle to end HIV-related stigma, an opportunity to honor those we have lost, and a rallying cry to commit to working toward a day when HIV is no longer a public health threat. The first World AIDS Day took place in 1988 ...

World AIDS Day What You Should Know. World AIDS Day has been observed on December 1 every year since 1988 and serves as a reminder of the global struggle to end HIV-related stigma. It's an opportunity to honor those we have lost, and is also a rallying cry to commit to working toward a day when HIV is no longer a public health threat.

World AIDS Day is an opportunity for every community and each individual to honor the more than 32 million people who have died worldwide from AIDS-related illness. December 1 is a day for voices to unite by sharing experiences, remembering those lost, and standing together in the fight against HIV. Annual Observance.

World AIDS Day takes place on 1st of December each year. It's an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness. . ... You can have the students complete this as an assignment and turn in later or have a ...

This year's World AIDS Day observance on December 1 is the 25th commemoration of the opportunity to bring attention to the impact of the HIV epidemic. We at HIV.gov know some event planners may not focus year round on HIV awareness, yet want to plan an activity for December 1. With this in mind, and building on this year's theme of "Shared Responsibility: Strengthening Results for an ...

In the last decade, the number of people living with HIV around the world increased from 30.7 million in 2010 to 38 million in 2019, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. In the United States ...

500+ Words Essay on AIDS. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or better known as AIDS is a life-threatening disease. It is one of the most dreaded diseases of the 20 th century. AIDS is caused by HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which attacks the immune system of the human body. It has, so far, ended more than twenty-nine million lives all ...

World Aids Day. World AIDS Day is held on the 1st December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day, held for the first time in 1988. World Aids Day.

Essay on World AIDS Day: AIDS, also known as Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome is a chronic and life threatening disease, caused by HIV virus. It can damage the immune system, and thereby, interfere with the ability of the body to fight infection and diseases. In India, over 1 million are diagnosed with AIDS every year.

CNN —. As people around the world commemorate World AIDS Day, in many countries, the disease is still cutting lives short at an alarming rate. Of the 770,000 AIDS-related deaths in 2018, almost ...

World aids day is celebrated every year all over the world on 1st of December to raise the public awareness about AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome).AIDS is a pandemic disease caused due to the infection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).The day is celebrated by the government organizations, NGOs, civil society and other health officials by organizing the speeches or forums ...

World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1 every year. The day provides an opportunity for people all over the world to come together in the battle against HIV, to support those who are living with it, and to remember those who have passed away from an AIDS-related illness. World AIDS Day was the first international health day established in 1988.

2. Rallies. 3. Honor to those who have died from AIDS. 4. Group discussions to raise awareness about AIDS. 5. Debate competition. World AIDS Day 2022 activities and essay ideas along with information on history, significance and the theme for this year.

National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day April 10; HIV Vaccine Awareness Day May 18; National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day May 19; HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day June 5; National HIV Testing Day June 27; Zero HIV Stigma July 21; Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day August 20; National Faith HIV/AIDS Awareness Day August 27

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an infection that attacks the body's immune system. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the most advanced stage of the disease. HIV targets the body's white blood cells, weakening the immune system. This makes it easier to get sick with diseases like tuberculosis, infections and some cancers.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening health condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that interferes with the body's ability to fight infections.December 1 is celebrated as World AIDS Day annually across the globe to spread awareness about the disease and remember all those who lost their lives to it.

Wednesday, April 10 marks National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day (NYHAAD). It has been commemorated annually since 2013 and is directed by Advocates for Youth Exit Disclaimer, an organization that partners with young people and their adult allies to promote effective adolescent reproductive and sexual health programs and policies.NYHAAD is a day to educate and urge policymakers and the public ...

2 DAFI36-2110 15 NOVEMBER 2021 Office of the Chief of Space Operations, Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Human Capital (SF/S1), the Chief of the Air Force Reserve (AF/RE), and the Director of the Air National Guard

Greetings! We're looking forward to seeing you at the opening session of AIDS 2024, the 25th International AIDS Conference, this afternoon. The AIDS 2024 programme includes more than 40 oral abstract sessions, 50 invited-speaker sessions, 20 workshops, 30 symposia sessions, 100 satellite sessions and 2,200 posters. The Daily Digest is your guide to help navigate it. First, though, immerse ...

A new analysis released at AIDS 2024 on July 23 has shown that the price for injectable lenacapavir could be reduced to as low as $26 to $40 per patient per year -- one thousand times less than ...