World AIDS Day 2022
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Every year on December 1, people around the world celebrate World AIDS Day to raise awareness about HIV infection and remember those who have lost their lives due to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
World AIDS Day is not just about raising awareness of global HIV/AIDS statistics, but also about learning about the virus, how it is transmitted, symptoms and treatments. This day is an opportunity for the community to come together in the fight against HIV and show support for those who have been diagnosed with the disease and lost their lives as a result.
How HIV is transmitted?
AIDS is considered to be the most advanced stages of HIV. However, many people mistakenly believe that the disease is contagious and can be spread through sharing food or any form of physical contact, which is not the case. HIV is present in all tissues of the body, but it is transmitted through the exchange of bodily fluids. Blood, sperm, breast milk, etc. are a few examples. It mainly attacks the T cells of the immune system.
What are the Symptoms?
- Fever
- Joint pain
- Muscle aches
- Sore throat
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Sudden weight loss
Therefore, it is advisable to maintain precautions.
What other Aspects You Need to Know About HIV
World AIDS Day began in 1988 as the first international day for world health. Every year, UN agencies, governments and civil society come together to launch a campaign and raise awareness about the spread of HIV infection.
- It’s still a serious problem
Although the number of HIV/AIDS cases has dropped dramatically since its onset in the 1980s, the problem has not gone away. Although antiretroviral therapy is available to cure the disease, HIV continues to spread and not everyone has access to these treatments.
- Misunderstanding must be overcome
There are still misconceptions that people can do to prevent the spread of the disease. For example, many people think it is an infectious disease that spreads through physical contact, which is not true. The facts about HIV, how it is contracted and its symptoms need to be clarified.
- Understand the status
As important as educating people is, it is equally important that individuals understand their status if a person has specific symptoms of HIV infection, they should be tested immediately by a medical professional. This test shows the presence of cells and antibodies against HIV in the blood.
- What if I test positive?
Remember that being HIV positive has nothing to do with death. People can still live long and healthy lives. You can get antiretroviral therapy, which is a combination of several drugs that help control the amount of virus in a patient’s body. In short, antiretroviral drugs slow down the growth rate of the virus.
Celebrating World AIDS Day!
People mark the day by tying red ribbons on their lapels to show their support for World AIDS Day. Red represents the blood and suffering of patients due to the disease, as well as anger at global inaction in the fight against the epidemic. At the same time, red also symbolizes love, enthusiasm and tolerance towards disease patients.
Likewise, many national and international non-profit organizations are working to raise awareness of the disease and its symptoms. You can go online and support these types of organizations in countries where deaths are declining but infections continue to affect people every year.
Additionally, many cities held candlelight vigils on World AIDS Day to remember those who died of the disease.
World AIDS Day Theme 2022
This year, the theme for World AIDS Day is “Equalize”. WHO calls on world leaders and citizens to boldly recognize and challenge the inequalities that are holding back progress towards ending AIDS; equal access to essential HIV services, especially children and key populations and their partners – men who have sex with men, transgender people, drug users, workers and people in prison.
Final Words
The main purpose of celebrating World AIDS Day each year is to develop new policies and programs to promote health systems development and increase the capacity of health care institutions to respond to HIV or AIDS. Thanks to the continuous efforts of governments and health organizations around the world, this day has become the most watched health day in the world.
