Many health campaigns can be seen throughout the world. People from different domains of the world come together to fight for a healthy population. One such disease which still requires a lot of awareness, efforts and campaigning for its eradication and treatment is HIV/AIDS. To increase the awareness for this disease, World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1st every year. The inception of AIDS world day can be traced back to 1988. This was the first time that a universal health problem was recognized, which required education and treatment. There are now millions of people living with AIDS around the world who require constant treatment and care. Most of the people today still do not know about the virus, its transmission and even the most effective ways to control it.
The importance of education and awareness about the virus and its consequences is extremely high, which is why the campaigns for world AIDS day in 2021 were focused around equality, stigma and access to treatment.
There are two pillars with respect to AIDS which need to be highlighted in order to understand this disease in a comprehensive manner.
HIV, human immunodeficiency virus, is a disease that attacks T (or CD4) cells, targeting cells that help the body fight infections.
Severe opportunistic diseases will occur once an infection has spread due to no treatment since treatment is what allows CD4 cells to fight back.
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, also known as AIDS, is the chronic and most severe consequence of HIV. An acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is referred to an advanced AIDS patient because of the risks that they face due to cancer or opportunistic infections.
This is the time when HIV therapies are on the rise, allowing AIDS patients to both slow the spread of the virus and stop the infections completely.
Value of the World AIDS Day: Development of Knowledge
HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns greatly appreciate World AIDS Day. Although there have been improvements in treatment and prevention, there still exists a stigma, and discrimination, due to lack of information or understanding of the disease amongst people.
Resisting Stigma
The testing and treatment of HIV continues to be affected negatively through stigma and discrimination. They also provide an occasion for people in different communities to overcome barriers of ignorance, promote understanding, acceptance and transform discrimination into support.
Promotion of Targeted Intervention
Equity in health care remains a crucial pillar of world human society. Many individuals especially in low and middle-income countries are unable to access the appropriate HIV treatment and preventive measures. Stressing this disparity advocates for addressing these imbalances and also, facilitates integration of efforts.
Comfortable Stigma Ball
The number of people who have died due to AIDS-related illnesses is over forty million since inception of the epidemic. World AIDS Day gives a platform to pay tribute to these people and galvanize the global resolve to control this epidemic.
Global Improvement and Challenges
Achievements in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS There are concerns within the international community that these successes have been recent and fragile. ART (Antiretroviral Therapy) changed HIV positive persons who would otherwise die with this illness into chronic disease patients who may lead a lengthy life pending regular treatments.
Preventive Strategies:
Raising awareness and educational campaigns combined with strategies like pre-exposure prophylaxis have significantly reduced cases of HIV acquired in new persons.
Global Solidarity:
Governments, international bodies, and NGOs have united so that people who are affected can be helped, more research can be funded, and healthcare systems can be improved.
Current Challenges
Access to therapy:
The fact that about 9.2 million persons worldwide are HIV positive and do not have access to treatment emphasizes disparities that exist currently.
Stigma & discrimination: As often discouraging individuals to approach testing and treatment thus elongating the transmission cycle.
Young women, men having sex with men, Transgender people, and sex workers are the key populations affected the most by barriers to access of prevention strategies.
Observing World AIDS: Day
1: Educate others and yourself.
Understanding where to begin sifting through false claims about HIV/AIDS is ingraining oneself with the HIV/AIDs narratives. Encourage constructive discussion within your community – promote safe and effective strategies.
- assist those HIV-positive individuals
People living with HIV in your area, rally for, and transform to acceptance. Supporting people so that they are ambitious, loved & appreciated.
- Join in awareness-raising campaigns.
As a volunteer get involved in promoting awareness of HIV/AIDS through social or global networks. Raise conversations surrounding treatment, prevention and the stigma surrounding it through various channels.
- Advocate for Fair Access.
Demand policies that protect access to healthcare to all people regardless of their socioeconomic status. Such forms of advocacy include funding specific RN-based NGOs, corresponding with certain legislators, or being actively engaged with practicing HIV/AIDS organizations.
5. Donate to organizations.
That focus on HIV/AIDS Most importantly, support the organizations which provide advocacy, education and care to those living with or affected by HIV.
Future Perspectives:
Ending the HIV Epidemic Although the battle is still on, a tremendous headway has been made in the effort to control the HIV/AIDS epidemic Agency figures place the targets as 95% of all persons diagnosed with HIV will know their status; when diagnosed, 95% will be on treatment; and 95% of those on treatment will have a suppressed virus— Therefore, the Looking Forward section includes a clear road map for the future.
Men’s main Objectives for the Future:
Addressing the demand for ART and other preventive interventions among disadvantaged groups is critical. Building and reinforcing the healthcare system which will enable testing, treatment and education requires a call to both sides’ support
Removing stigma:
continue to provide comprehensive support for global efforts which seek to eliminate preconceptions and to promote acceptance at the end World AIDS Day is more than a day of remembrance but should be seen as a call to action. People need to understand that in order to stay ahead in the fight against HIV/AIDS we have to counter the stigma and advocate for treatment equity.
The cooperation among governments, corporations, and residents can create a world where all individuals living with HIV obtain the necessary treatment and support and satisfactory outcomes, with no casualties due to AIDS.
On this occasion, let us renew our commitment to ensuring that HIV/AIDS is not an obstacle to achieve a decent and fulfilling life anymore – let’s devote this day for passion and compassion for building a better tomorrow where the society is more understanding and caring for others.
if you are interested for more: “World AIDS Day: this is important awareness to all every December 1 yearly India’s GDP fell to a two-year low of 5.4% in the Q2 of the financial year 2024-25.