World AIDS Day 2022

World AIDS day takes place each year on 1 of December to unite people across the world in the fight against HIV, show support for people living with HIV, and commemorate those that have lost their lives from an AIDS-related illness.

Thanks to the extraordinary success of anti-retroviral treatment, serious HIV related illness is now much less common. The term 'AIDS' (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is now in less common usage, and 'late stage' or 'advanced' HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) are currently the preferred terms.

However, HIV continues to be a major global public health issue and has claimed more than 40 million lives since the virus was first identified in 1984, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history.

• There are estimated to be over 105,000 people in the UK and 38 million people globally living with HIV.
• 98% of these people are on effective treatment and 97% can't pass on the virus to others.
• People can still present with advanced HIV disease from time to time in all parts of the world, including the UK
• No effective vaccine to present transmission of the virus has as yet been developed.

Despite significant progress in recent decades, progress towards HIV goals have been hindered over the last few years. Resources devoted towards tackling HIV have been diminished, leaving millions of lives at risk as a result.

Recent research in the UK by the National AIDS Trust revealed:

• 63% of the UK public don’t remember seeing or hearing about HIV in the past 6 months
• 1 in 5 people think you can acquire HIV through kissing
• 33% said they have sympathy for those living with HIV, regardless of how they acquired it
• 16% of people knew that if someone is on effective treatment, they can’t pass HIV on and can expect to live a long and healthy life

World AIDS day is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness about HIV and fight the stigma experienced by those living with HIV.

The key messages and calls to action for the global World Health Organization campaign are:

1. Renew our commitment to reduce spread and eradicate HIV

Renew efforts to end HIV as a public health threat by 2030 despite persistent economic, social, cultural and legal inequalities and challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic

2. Focus on equality

Health services must adapt to ensure that everyone, everywhere has equal access to HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care, and implement ‘zero tolerance’ policies towards stigma and discrimination.

3. Elimination litmus test – children and key populations

WHO recommends renewing focus on countries and populations that are still missing out in the global response to HIV and AIDS, including children and key populations of people who remain at high risk.

• key populations of people who are at increased risk of HIV include men who have sex with men; people who inject drugs; people in prisons and sex workers.

Further information on World Aids Day campaigns can be accessed via the following links:

• National Aids Trust
• World Health Organization
• Terrence Higgins Trust
• Waverley Care
• HIV Scotland

Further information on HIV and travel is available from the following TRAVAX pages:

• Blood Borne Viral Infections (Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV)
• HIV Positive Travellers
• HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)

Other HIV resources (UK):

• Public Health Scotland: HIV in Scotland
• UK Health Security Agency: HIV in the United Kingdom