World AIDS Day
22 years ago World AIDS day started as a day to share messages of hope, compassion and understanding about AIDS to the world, today it is still these things but it is also about raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education and to reduce the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. The concept of observing World AIDS Day was the brainchild of Jonathan Mann, director of the Global Programme on AIDS, at the WHO (World Health Organization). In 1988, at the World Summit of Ministers of Health, programs for AIDS prevention and the idea of a World AIDS Day was supported by all the participating nations. In October 1988, the United Nations General Assembly officially recognized this concept and so World Health Organization declared December 1, 1988, as the first World AIDS Day.
While people living with HIV face serious challenges every day, being HIV positive is no longer a death sentence. Advances in medical treatment, health management, testing, support and peer education services allow HIV positive people to live longer and healthier lives.
The number of people living with HIV in the UK continues to rise, with an estimated 83,000 infected, of whom over a quarter (27%) were unaware of their infections. According to a report produced by the Health Protection Agency “HIV in the United Kingdom 2009” A total of 7,298 individuals (4,614 men and 2,684 women) were diagnosed with HIV in 2008, a rate of 0.12 per 1,000 population (0.15 diagnoses per 1,000 men and 0.09 per 1,000 women). Although the number remains high, the 7,298 diagnoses in 2008 represent a decline on the peak of diagnoses observed in 2005 (7,975). The decline is largely due to fewer reports of diagnoses among people who acquired their infection heterosexually abroad, particularly black African women.
Data released by the Health Protection Agency showed that a total of 6,630 persons (4,400 men and 2,230 women) were diagnosed with HIV in 2009. Since 2003, the number of reported first AIDS diagnoses in infected persons has decreased year on year. In 2009, there were 547 first AIDS diagnoses. The number of deaths among HIV infected persons has remained stable over the past ten years. In 2009 there were 516 deaths among HIV infected persons.
