World AIDS day

World AIDS Day is celebrated around the world on December 1st each year since 1988. It has become one of the most recognized international health days and a key opportunity to raise awareness, commemorate those who have passed on, and celebrate victories, such as increased access to treatment and prevention services.

Global HIV Statistics

• 38.4 million [33.9 million–43.8 million] people globally were living with HIV in 2021.
• 1.5 million [1.1 million–2.0 million] people became newly infected with HIV in 2021.
• 650 000 [510 000–860 000] people died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2021.
• 28.7 million people were accessing antiretroviral therapy in 2021.
• 84.2 million [64.0 million–113.0 million] people have become infected with HIV since the start of the epidemic.
• 40.1 million [33.6 million–48.6million] people have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the start of the epidemic.

To know more, click here.

India - HIV statistics

As per the HIV estimates report (2021) of the Government,

• At the national level, estimated adult HIV prevalence (15-49 years) has declined since the epidemic’s peak in 2000 where prevalence was estimated at 0.55% in 2000, through to 0.32% in 2010, and 0.21% in 2021. 
• The number of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) are estimated at around 24 lakhs. 
• Annual New Infection (ANI) are estimated at 62.97 thousand in 2021 in India. There is an estimated 46.3% decline in ANI at national level from 2010-2021. 
• The north-east region States have the highest adult HIV prevalence (2.70% in Mizoram, 1.36% in Nagaland and 1.05% in Manipur), followed by southern States (0.67% in Andhra Pradesh, 0.47% in Telangana and 0.46% in Karnataka). Southern States have the largest number of PLHIV viz. Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka being the top three.
• AIDS Related Deaths (ARD) are estimated at 41.97 thousand in 2021 in India. A decline of 76.5% in ARD has been estimated at national level from 2010-21. The declining trend is noted in all States/UTs excluding Puducherry, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Tripura. The highest decline in ARD is estimated in Chandigarh, Telangana, and West Bengal.
• PMTCT need are estimated at 20,612 in 2021 in India. Top 3 states accounting for the highest need are Maharashtra (12.9%), Bihar (11.9%) and Uttar Pradesh (10.6%).

To know more, click here.

2022 Theme: Equalize

This World AIDS Day, which is a slogan for a call to action for all connected with this crusade. It calls for taking practical actions needed for addressing inequalities in the HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Viruses) infected and affected populations across the country and also help in ending AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome).

The “Equalize” slogan is a call to action. It is a prompt for all of us to work for the proven practical actions needed to address inequalities and help end AIDS. These include:  

• Increase availability, quality and suitability of services, for HIV treatment, testing and prevention, so that everyone is well-served.
• Reform laws, policies and practices to tackle the stigma and exclusion faced by people living with HIV and by key and marginalised populations, so that everyone is shown respect and is welcomed. 
• Ensure the sharing of technology to enable equal access to the best HIV science, between communities and between the Global South and North. 
• Communities will be able to make use of and adapt the “Equalize” message to highlight the particular inequalities they face and to press for the actions needed to address them.  

Tackling inequalities is a long-standing global promise, the urgency of which has only increased. In 2015, all countries pledged to reduce inequalities within and between countries as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. The Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026: End Inequalities, End AIDS and the Political Declaration on AIDS adopted at the 2021 United Nations High-Level Meeting on AIDS have ending inequalities at their core.

As well as being central to ending AIDS, tackling inequalities will advance the human rights of key populations and people who are living with HIV, make societies better prepared to beat COVID-19 and other pandemics and support economic recovery and stability. Fulfilling the promise to tackle inequalities will save millions of lives and will benefit society as a whole.

Governments must now move from commitment to action. Governments must promote inclusive social and economic growth. They must eliminate discriminatory laws, policies and practices in order to ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities. It is time for governments to keep their promises. They must act now, and we must make them accountable.

This World AIDS Day let’s remind our governments that global inequalities affect us all, no matter who we are or where we are from. This World AIDS Day let’s demand action to end inequalities and end AIDS and all other pandemics that thrive on inequalities. 

Confronting inequalities — Lessons for pandemic responses from 40 years of AIDS

Source : UN