Today, 1st December 2006, is World AIDS Day and the theme is 'Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise'.
Established by the World Health Organization in 1988, World AIDS Day serves to focus global attention on the devastating impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Observance of this day provides an opportunity for governments, national AIDS programs, churches, community organizations and individuals to demonstrate the importance of the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Also read Ken Chaplin's great blog on Fighting Aids
So..how bad is the AIDS pandemic…
AIDS has killed more than 25 million to date and the UN reports that somebody in the world is newly infected with HIV every 8 seconds. According to UNAIDS, about 39.5 million people are living with HIV at the moment, of whom 37.2 million are adults, and 2.3 million are children under 15. (By another count, Up to 3.5 million children are living with HIV/AIDS.) 4.3 million people have become newly infected this year so far, 65% of them in Africa, of whom 530,000 are children under 15. About 2.9 million people have died of AIDS this year so far. 63% of all adults and children living with HIV in the world today live in Sub-Saharan Africa (almost 25 million people), which is five million more than in 2004. 34% of all deaths due to AIDS occur in southern Africa. In sub-Saharan Africa, there are 24.7 million people living with HIV/AIDS. So.. it is clear that HIV/AIDS is ravaging the poorest nations of the world.
There are 5.7 million people infected with HIV/AIDS in India (pdf). And fighting the apathy & complacency about AIDS is still difficult despite the rapidly rising number of infections and wide-spread media coverage and awareness/ campaigns about the looming threat ; India having the 2nd largest number of HIV infected people after South Africa.
India - International HIV/AIDS Alliance
These major programmes are co-ordinated with other agencies contributing to Avahan, the India AIDS Initiative of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
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Little wonder then that UNAIDS has issued a statement today saying now is the time for a rethink on AIDS campaigns.
A lot will be said and rallies will be head and slogans will be shouted from pulpits around the globe today… lets hope all this leads to more and more emphasis on driving away ignorance and also serious policy implementation in fighting this scourge..(links to a post where I compile articles related to the fight on HIV/AIDS).
This article has a nice summary of HOW TO HELP and I cut-n-paste for future reference:
Good news released today, announcing that...
...about 1.2 million people in countries hard hit by AIDS are receiving life-extending drugs thanks to two major U.S. and international funds, double from a year ago, but many millions more need help.
SA launches plan to combat Aids - BBC News
Ottawa pledges $250M for AIDS - Toronto Star
Making AIDS Drugs Available to Kids in the Developing World - Time
45,000 walkers and 2,000 volunteers participated in the AIDS Walk in New York (a current.tv pod)
Watch these AIDS related pods on Current.tv
Though not all are related, time-permitting you can also see some other pods from Current Caring
UNAIDS: The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
AIDS.ORG: Educating - Raising HIV Awareness
AIDS Education Global Information System (AEGIS)
AEGIS is one of the largest HIV/AIDS databases in the world, includes the HIV Daily Briefing, updated hourly.
The Complete HIV/AIDS Resource
A comprehensive site featuring in-depth information on topics ranging from HIV prevention to state-of-the-art treatment issues
AIDSinfo - HIV / AIDS Information
NIH information with information about federally approved treatment guidelines for HIV and AIDS.
AIDS – Official journal of the International AIDS Society
World AIDS Day Resources -- 1997-2006
Factsheets on HIV/AIDS
Visual AIDS - DAY WITH(OUT) ART
Strives to increase public awareness of AIDS through the visual arts, exhibitions, publications, and by working in partnership with artists
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