World AIDS Day: Why It Is Important

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World AIDS Day 2021- “End Inequalities End AIDS”

About World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day was first observed on 1st December 1988 to raise awareness about HIV and to commemorate people living with HIV. It is an international day dedicated to raising awareness about the AIDS caused by the spread of HIV infection and mourning those who have died of the disease. Today it is considered to be the longest-running disease identification initiative in the history of public health.

In 2021 World AIDS Day marked its 33rd anniversary with the theme of World AIDS Day is “End Inequalities End AIDS” with a special focus on reaching people left behind.

History

8 Bunn and Thomas Netter were also the information officers for AIDS global Program for Public Health. They introduced their idea for the observation to Dr Jonathan Mann,  the Director of the AIDS global programme. Broadcast journalist Jame Bunn, who posted to the World Health Organization(WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland realized that after almost a year of non-stop campaign coverage viewers could be drawn to the story. He and his colleague Thomas Netter decided December 1st was the best date and designed and executed the first event for the next 16 months.

• The first two years World AIDS Day focused on the resolution of Children and young people to raise awareness about the impact of AIDS in families not just groups that are generally defamed by the media (including homosexual, bisexual men and drug users).
• Since 1996 World AIDS Day activities have been undertaken by the United Nations Offices on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), which was expanded the scope of the program throughout the year to the prevention and education Campaign.

In 2004 World AIDS Day Campaign was registered as an independent non-profit organization based in its Netherland.

What Is HIV?

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that attacks cells that help the body fight infection, making a person more susceptible to other infections and diseases. It is spread through exposure to certain body fluids of an HIV- infected person, usually through unprotected sex (sex without condoms or HIV drugs to prevent or treat HIV) or the distribution of injectable drug paraphernalia.

hiv.gov

If HIV is not treated it can lead to the disease AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome).

What IS AIDS?

AIDS is the last stage of HIV infection that occurs when the body’s immune system is severely damaged by the virus. In the US, most people living with HIV infection do not get AIDS because taking HIV medication every day slows the progression of the disease.

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A person with HIV infection is considered to have progressed to AIDS when:

Their CD4 cells count falls below 200 cells per cubic millimetre of blood (200 cells/mm3). (In a person with a healthy immune system, the CD4 count is between 500 and 1600 cells/mm3). Or regardless of the number of CD4s, they develop one or more opportunistic infections.

Without HIV medicine people, with AIDS people can survive about 3 years. Once a person has a dangerous opportunistic illness, life expectancy drops to about one year without treatment. HIV medication can still help people at this stage of HIV infection and it can also be life-saving. People who start as soon as they get HIV more benefit that’s y Testing of HIV is more important.

How Do You Get or transmit HIV?

npin.cdc.gov

You can get HIV only if you come in direct contact with certain substances in the body of an HIV infected person who is exposed to the viral load. These liquids are: Blood, Semen, Rectal, Vaginal Fluids, Mother’s Milk

To be transmitted, HIV in these fluids enters the bloodstream of an HIV-negative person through the mucous membranes found in the rectum, vagina, mouth or tip of the penis). Open cuts or blisters or by direct injection. people with HIV who take HIV medication every day as prescribed and receive and maintain an undetectable viral load are not a risk of sexually transmitting HIV to their HIV-negative partner.

Frequently Asked Question

Que- How long can you live with AIDS without treatment?
Ans- Once a person develops AIDS, they carry a high viral load and can spread HIV to others. In the absence of treatment, people with AIDS typically live three years.

Conclusion

AIDS has the potential to cause severe deterioration in the economic condition of many countries. There is much that can be done now to keep the epidemic from getting worse and to mitigate the negative effects. Among the responses that are necessary is the need to prevent new infections. There is an urgent need to prevent new HIV infections in order to reverse the epidemic and ensure that treatment is made available to all who need it.

References

www.verywellhealth.com

www. who. int

www.hindustantimes.com