Bulgaria marks World AIDS Day

Some scarves were even handed out for people to wear, all in recognition of World AIDS Day. “However, in contrast to the growing HIV epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s, the last decade has experienced a decline in new HIV infections”, said Mlisana.

“So they’re taking one of those antibodies and they’re testing, in people, whether it’s capable of preventing HIV infection”.

As of 2012, approximately 35 million people worldwide are living with HIV or AIDS and we are seeing a growing trend right here in the Heartland.

HIV Alliance and Lane County Public Health are encouraging Lane County residents to do their part this World AIDS Day.

There are prominent figures today who live with HIV today and appear to have it under control, like former basketball great Magic Johnson.

In the United States alone, hundreds of thousands of people are infected by HIV/AIDS and are unaware of it, and continue to spread the disease without following any treatment.

“Maybe some of the misconceptions are that it only affects people that are injection drug users or man who have sex with men”.

This year’s World AIDS Day theme is “The Time to Act is Now”, which highlights the need to implement the latest evidence-based HIV prevention strategies.

“We are really excited to open this center”, Gifford said.

World AIDS Day is a call to do better.

“Most of us are hurt by stigma and discrimination more than the disease hurts us”, she said.

Society for AIDS Care chief executive office Alice Chan Lai-hing said: “Although the government has been investing resources in targeting the male homosexual group, we think the numbers reflect that more work still needs to be done”.

And they didn’t have to worry about privacy because of the new booths being used this year. “The data shows 90% of the newly-registered HIV-positive people in Bulgaria got HIV through sexual contact; some 51% of the cases concern men who have sexual contact with other men, while 38% concern heterosexual HIV transmission”.

“One of our main missions is the HIV testing- to make sure that all citizens have access to free, confidential testing”, said Susan Alt, the Director of the HIV program for Coastal Health District.