World AIDS Day: December 1

Every year the World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1. The day is being celebrated since 1988. It is celebrated to create awareness against the spread of HIV infection. It is one of the 11 official Global Public Health campaigns of World Health Organisation. 

Theme of World AIDS Day

This year the World AIDS Day is celebrated under the following theme

Ending Inequalities

AIDS awareness week

Every year the last week of November is celebrated as AIDS awareness week. The first AIDS Awareness Week was celebrated in 1984 in San Francisco.

AIDS in India

According to the National AIDS Control Organisation, around 2.14 million people live with AIDS in India as of 2017. India is home to the third largest population of persons with AIDS in the world after South Africa and Nigeria as of 2018. However, the prevalence rate of AIDS in India is lesser than that of many other countries. In 2016, the prevalence rate of AIDS was at 0.3% in India. This was the 80th highest in the world.

India fights the disease through antiretroviral drugs and education programmes