December 1st: World Aids Day
An international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection
World Aids Day is observed on 1st December every year. In 1988, World Aids Day was founded and was also known as the first-ever global health day. This day is intended to spread awareness about AIDS and to mourn those who gave up their lives to it. There are nearly 38 million people on Earth living with HIV. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
History
Over the past few decades, many things have been done to find the cure for this disease, yet there is no luck. Nonetheless, there has been significant progress in finding the cure. Over the years, the number of infected people has decreased along with the deaths. The efficiency of the treatment that AIDS patients are receiving has also increased.
The virus was discovered in 1984, and the first treatment for it was found only in 1987. Worldwide, more than 35 million people have died due to HIV or AIDS. In 1996, the life expectancy of a 20 year old HIV patient was 39 years of age. Now, the life expectancy has increased to 78 due to all the available treatments. There are medicines to reduce the intensity of the disease. The availability of early detection facilities have contributed in increasing the life expectancy.
How to Observe World Aids Day
There are many events that are held across the globe which include free HIV testing. World Aids Day also has a particular theme each year. The theme for 2020 being: Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Resilience and Impact. You can observe this day by:
- Attending nearest events related to AIDS day
- Getting tested and encouraging others to get tested as well
- Spreading awareness about HIV and AIDS
- Donate to NGO’s working towards spreading awareness about HIV
- Talk to children and make them understand about the precautions