Number of events on tap for World AIDS Day this Tuesday

HIV/Aids is no longer the death sentence it once was and through partnerships with various organisations we have managed to make adhering to treatment much more manageable.

Deirdre Seery, CEO of the Sexual Health Centre said:”Despite all of the campaigns and information around HIV, there is still a high level of complacency around HIV”.

“These children have survived into their teenage years, sometimes without knowing their HIV status”, UNICEF said.

Last year, more than $20 billion was raised for spending on AIDS in poor and middle-income countries.

“With each passing year, science provides us with new tools, and experience on the ground informs our approach, making ending AIDS by 2030 a real possibility”, UNICEF said.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), estimates that in the United States, “there are 1,218,400 persons aged 13 years and older living with HIV infection, including 156,300 (12.8 percent) who are unaware of their infection”.

In addition to the legal barriers, adolescents living with HIV often face stigma and discrimination, which can discourage them from seeking treatment.

“The RAPID clinic at the HIV Foundation is easily the busiest HIV testing service in Queensland”, Mr McArdle said.

Another message of the conference is that Africa, the continent worst affected by HIV, must fight complacency and renew its commitment to increasing funding for the fight against the epidemic, he said. This includes looking at new strategies such as pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV and access to care for European Union citizens residing in other European Union countries.

To help limit the spread of the potentially fatal virus, Dr. Jakab called on European nations to offer free HIV treatment to all, regardless of their origin and nationality. This pill contains two medicines that are also used to treat HIV. Statistics indicate that men account for only 33% of all HIV tests in the public sector. PrEP does not protect against other sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy.

She said the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that the number of new infections has increased from 17 a day in 2014 to 22 this year. The country has also reduced mother-to-child transmission further. There are several local events, such as the San Diego AIDS Walk or Mama’s Kitchen’s Tree of Life Ceremony, to commemorate those who have been affected by this global pandemic.

“We want people to come in and get tested without that stigma, and we’re working hard to do that”, he said.

Cortés is the executive director of Mama’s Kitchen.