Philanthropy Calendar: World AIDS Day – December 1st 

Since 1988, World AIDS Day aims to raise awareness, help in the prevention and focus on putting an end to the disease The world has lost 39 million people to AIDS since its detection in 1983, a number comparable to the total military and civilian lives lost in World War I. Today, almost four decades since humanity started fighting this pandemic, 37.9 million people are estimated to live with HIV, and only 79% are aware of carrying the disease. However, antiretroviral therapy has only reached three out of five people living with AIDS.

In its efforts to end the disease by 2030, the UN has committed multidimensional prevention and action mechanisms towards the 90-90-90 goal. Setting 2020 as a first phase balance, the initiative targets achieving detection for 90% of all people living with HIV. A further step involves insuring antiretroviral therapy for 90% of all people diagnosed with HIV. Studies from 2016 estimated that only 53% of people living with HIV were virally suppressed, and efforts are presently conducted towards increasing this percentage to 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy. If a person living with HIV is confirmed virally suppressed, thus showing undetectable levels of the virus in their bloodstream, they cannot transmit the virus.

The UK

Studies estimate that there were around 103,800 people living with HIV in the UK in 2018, of which 93% are aware of their status. A number of 96,142 people have been provided antiretroviral therapy, covering 97% of all persons that have been diagnosed with HIV. The most recent statistics also confirm that 97% of people diagnosed with HIV in the UK being virally suppressed. 

Prevention campaigns still need to be prioritised as 93% of all people provided HIV treatment in the UK contracted the virus through sexual encounters.

 

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