World AIDS Day: Right information will help reduce new cases
By: Shahid Ul Islam & Mir Tajamul Islam
Every year on December 1st, people around the world come together to observe World AIDS Day. This important day serves as a reminder to raise awareness, show support for those living with HIV/AIDS, and remember those we have lost. It’s a day to educate, advocate, and inspire action towards ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
World AIDS Day was first established in 1988 by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a global initiative to unite people in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Since then, it has become one of the most recognized international health days, providing a platform for individuals and communities to join forces and make a difference.
Another crucial aspect of World AIDS Day is highlighting the importance of prevention and treatment. Through widespread access to education, condoms, needle exchange programs, and antiretroviral therapy (ART), we can significantly reduce new infections and improve the quality of life for those living with HIV/AIDS. World AIDS Day serves as a reminder that prevention and treatment are key to ending the epidemic.
Human Immune Deficiency Virus/Acquired Immune-Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/ AIDS) is the term given to combination or symptoms which results from a break- down of the immune system. It is the final stage of HIV Infection, which causes severe damage to the Immune system and causes fatal infections.
AIDS is the second widely spread communicable disease worldwide and the sixth common cause of death globally (WHO, 2004) HIV continues to be a major global public health issue, having claimed more than 39 million lives so far, with 29 milion new infections estimated by the near 2020 The number of new HIV infections in people aged 215 years worldwide was 2.3 million in 2000.
After two decades-long night, the number of new infections was still 1.6 million in 2019. These data indicate that HIV prevention has falls to a significant degree, and there are potential significant problems with our understanding of HIV transmission, and, therefore, our strategies for HIV prevention.
The latest Global HIV & AIDS Statistics shows that 38.4 million (33.9 million-43.8 million) people globally were living with HIV in 2023, 1.5 million (1.1 million-2.0 million) people became newly in- infected with HIV in 2001, 650 000 (510 000-000000) people died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2023, 20.7 million people were accessing antiretroviral therapy in 2023. 04.2 million (64.0 million-113.0 million) people have become Infected with HIV since the start of the epidemic and 40.1 million (33.6 million-48.6million) people have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the start of the epidemic. Further, In 2023, there were 284 million (33.9 million-43.8 million) people living with HIV, 26.7 million (32.3 million-41.9 million) adults (15 years or older), 1.7 million (1.3 million-2.1 million) children (0- 14 years), 54% of all people living with HIV were women and girls, 89% (75-97%) of all people living with HIV knew their HIV status in 2023 and about 5.9 million people did not know that they were living with HIV in 2023. It was reported that people living with HIV were accessing antiretroviral therapy.
At the end of December 2021, 28.7 million people were accessing interceptor- viral therapy, up from 7.8 million in 2010.In 2021, 75% (66-85%) of all people living with HIV were accessing treatment, 76% (67-87%) of adults aged 15 years and older living with HIV had access to treatment, as did 52% (42-65%) of children aged 0-14 years.00% (72-91%) of female adults aged 15 years and older had access to treatment, however, just 70% (61-82%) of male adults aged 15 years and older had access 81% (63-97%) of pregnant women living with HIV had access to antiretroviral medicines to prevent transmission of HIV to their child in 2023.
It was found that New HIV infections have been reduced by 54% since the peak in 1996. In 2021, around 1.5 million (1.1 million-2.0million) people were newly infected with HIV, compared to 3.2 million (2.4 million-4.3 million) people in 1996 Women and accounted for 49% of all new infections in 2001. Since 2010, new HIV infections have declined by 32%, from 2.2 million (1.7 million-2.9 million) to 1.5 million
1million-2.0 million) in 2022 Since 2010, new HIV infections among children have declined by 52%, from 220 000 (220 000-490 000) In 2010 0 160 000 (110 000-200 000) in 2021. It was reported that AIDS-related deaths have been reduced by 68% since the peak in 2004 and by 52% since 2010. In 2001, around 650 000 (510 000-900 000) people died from AIDS-related illnesses work wide, compared to 20 million (1.6 million-2.7 million) people in 2004 and 1.4 million (1.1 million-1.8 million) people tn 2010.AIDS-related mortality has declined by 57% among women and girls and by 47% among men and boys since 2010.In 2001, key populations ex workers and their clients, gay men and other men who have sex with men, people to inject drugs, transgender people) and their sexual partners accounted for 20% of HIV infections globally.
It was found that 94% of new HIV Infections outside of sub-Saharan Africa The risk of acquiring HIV test 35 times higher among people who Inject drugs than adults who do not inject drugs, 20 times higher for female sex workers than adult women, 23 times higher among gay men and other men who have sex with men than adult men and 14 times higher for transgender women than adult women. It is further reported that every week, around 4900 young women aged 15-24 years become infected with HIV. In sub-Saharan Africa, six in seven new HIV infections among adolescents aged 15-19 years are among girls. Girls and young women aged 15-24 years are twice as likely to be living with HIV than young men.
In sub-Saharan Africa, women and girls accounted for 63% of all new HIV infections in 2021. In 2021, 95% (75-97%) of people Living with HIV knew their HIV stains, among people who knew their status, 80% (78-98%) were accessing treatment and among people accessing treatment, 92% (81-98%) were virally suppressed.
Of all people living with HIV, 85% (75-97%) knew their sums, 75% (06-80%) were accessing treatment and 60% (60-78%) were virally suppressed in 2023. AIDS is caused by a virus called as Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) that attacks the immune system and leaves the body vulnerable to a variety of 1-threatening infections and cancers. HIV is transmitted through legal male female relationships, transfusion of infected blood, use of non sterilized injections, HIV in affected or contaminated syringes and needles and from an infected mother to her unborn child. HIV/AIDS is a 1-threatening disease, and therefore people react to It in strong ways HIV infection is associated with be behaviors such as homosexually, drug addiction, pros tendon or promiscuity) that are already estimated In many societies
Most people become infected with HIV through sex, which often carries moral baggage. There is a lot of inaccurate Information about how HIV is transmitted, creating irrational behaviour and misperceptions of personal risk. Religious or moral beliefs lead some people to believe that being infected with HIV is the result of moral fault such as promiscuity or deviant sex) that deserves to be punished. There are certain chances of getting ostracized at different places and settings like marriage, place of worship, train, bus, workplace, hostel, hospital and others.
HIV/AIDS is one of the biggest challenges faced by India and there are about three million people suffering from HIV/AIDS. It was reported that more than 5000 people were living with HIV virus in the Jammu and Kashmir. HIV remains a major pathetic health threat that affects millions of people worldwide.
World AIDS Day is a powerful reminder of the ongoing fight against HIV/AIDS. It’s a day to come together, raise awareness, show support, and take action. By educating ourselves, challenging stigma, and advocating for safety.
(Te authors are law student at KU)
