World AIDS Day is observed every year on December 1. The day is observed all over the world to raise awareness and encourages treatment, prevention and care of HIV ( Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection) and AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).
HIV remains a serious global health crisis that affects millions of people worldwide. According to WHO, HIV/AIDS have claimed over 40.1 million (33.6–48.6 million) lives so far.
As World AIDS Day 2022 is observed today on December 1, this year's theme is “Equalize”. It is a wake up call for everyone to focus on the practical methods to alleviate inequality in eradication of life threatening disease 'AIDS'. The theme urges on global leaders and citizens to recognize and address the inequalities which are holding back progress in ending AIDS and equalize access to essential HIV services, the WHO website said.
World AIDS Day was founded by WHO in 1988 to promote international communication regarding increasing risk of deadly AIDS. WHO coordinated World AIDS Day until 1996, then it created UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme to look over the responsibilities of HIV/AIDS epidemic. In 1997 UNAIDS established the World AIDS Campaign (WAC) in 1997 to collect information regarding AIDS on global scale.
Every year, organizations and individuals endeavor to increase HIV and AIDS awareness and knowledge, speak out against AIDS stigma, and call for an increased response to move toward ending the AIDS Epidemic.
Key facts regarding HIV/AIDS according to WHO and UNAIDS website:
In 2021, 650 000 [510 000–860 000] people died from HIV-related causes and 1.5 million [1.1–2.0 million] people acquired HIV.
There is no cure for HIV infection.
However, with increasing access to effective prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care, the infection has become a manageable chronic health condition, enabling people living with HIV to lead long and healthy lives.
There were an estimated 38.4 million [33.9–43.8 million] people living with HIV at the end of 2021, two thirds of whom (25.6 million) are in the WHO African Region.
HIV can be found in body fluids, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk.
It can be transmitted through penetrative sex. It can be transmitted to an infant during pregnancy, labour, delivery and breastfeeding.
Transmission through kissing on the mouth carries no risk, and no evidence has been found that the virus is spread through saliva by kissing.
Quality-assured condoms are the only products currently available to protect against sexual infection by AIDS.