World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day History

World AIDS Day serves to remember those who have died from AIDS and to bring about awareness of HIV/AIDS through education and publicly held events. HIV is a virus that attacks the body's immune system and makes it progressively more difficult to fight infections and diseases. Once HIV advances and becomes so severe that the body's immune system is too weak to fight off many infections and diseases, it is called AIDS. There is currently no cure for HIV or AIDS and if left untreated by antiretroviral medication, patients' immune systems fail leading to death. World AIDS Day is also an opportunity for people to show their support for people living with HIV.

World AIDS Day is one of the 8 WHO Global Health Days. The day was created by the World Health Organization in 1988. Since its inception over two decades ago, the world has managed to halt and reverse the spread of HIV. According to the UNAIDS, From 2010, new HIV infections have declined, from 2.1 million to 1.5 million in 2020, due to antiretroviral treatments and widespread AIDS education and awareness. World AIDS Day is observed on December 1st of each year.