World AIDS Day

• 01 Dec 2022

For Prelims: World AIDS Day, AIDS, HIV

For Mains: Status of AIDS Globally and Nationally, AIDS, HIV, Related Initiatives

Why in News?

World AIDS Day is observed on 1^st December every year all over the world to spread awareness about the disease and remember all those who lost their lives to it.

Why is World AIDS Day Celebrated?

• About:
  • It was founded in 1988 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and was the first ever global health day with a motto of raising public awareness about Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
• Theme for 2022:
  • ‘Equalize’.
    • It encourages people to unite globally to eliminate the disparities and inequities that create barriers to HIV testing, prevention, and access to HIV care.’
• Significance:
  • The very day reminds the public and government that HIV has not gone away and there is still a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education.
  • It is an opportunity to show solidarity with the millions of people living with HIV worldwide.

What is AIDS Disease?

• About:
  • AIDS is a chronic, potentially life-threatening health condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that interferes with the body's ability to fight infections.
  • HIV attacks CD4, a type of White Blood Cell (T cells) in the body’s immune system.
    • T cells are those cells that move around the body detecting anomalies and infections in cells.
  • After entering the body, HIV multiplies itself and destroys CD4 cells, thus severely damaging the human immune system. Once this virus enters the body, it can never be removed.
  • The CD4 count of a person infected with HIV reduces significantly. In a healthy body, CD4 count is between 500- 1600, but in an infected body, it can go as low as 200.
• Transmission:
  • HIV can spread through multiple sources, by coming in direct contact with certain body fluids from a person infected with HIV, who has a detectable viral load. It can be blood, semen, rectal fluid, vaginal fluid or breast milk.
• Symptoms:
  • Once HIV converts into AIDS then it may present in initial symptoms like unexplained fatigue, fever, sores around genitals or neck, pneumonia etc.
• Prevention:
  • Make sure to use protective techniques.
  • Make sure to avoid using contaminated needles.
  • Prevent mother to child transmission.
  • If someone is aware of the infection in their body, make sure they are on the right treatment path.
  • Opt for the set of pre-marital tests before marriage which includes an HIV test and helps to ensure safety from other Sexually Transmitted Diseases as well.

What is the Global & National Status of AIDS?

• Global:
  • According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), as of 2021, 38.4 million people were living with HIV, out of which 1.7 million were children.
    • 54% of all people living with HIV were women and girls.
    • 85% of all people living with HIV knew their HIV status in 2021.
  • In 2021, 6,50,000 people died of AIDS-related diseases.
• National:
  • According to UNAIDS, an estimated 2.4 million people were living with HIV in India in 2021 (including 70,000 children).
    • Maharashtra had the maximum numbers followed by Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

What are India’s Initiatives to Curb AIDS Disease?

• HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017: According to this act, the central and state governments shall take measures to prevent the spread of HIV or AIDS.
• Access to ART:
  • India has made Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) affordable and accessible to over 90 per cent of people living with HIV in the world.
• Memorandum of Understanding (MoU):
  • The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare signed a MoU with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2019 for enhanced HIV/AIDS outreach and to reduce the incidence of social stigma and discrimination against victims of drug abuse and Children and People Living with HIV/AIDS.
• Project Sunrise:
  • Project Sunrise was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2016, to tackle the rising HIV prevalence in north-eastern states in India, especially among people injecting drugs.

Source: IE