How to Promote Zero Discrimination during the Celebration of World AIDS Day 2021

29 November 2021

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Forty years after the first AIDS cases were identified by the World Health Organization, the virus and aids related illnesses continue to pose as a global danger.

In fact, based on Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS or UNAIDS Global HIV Statistics, a collaborative initiative of the United Nations family that brings 11 UN system entities to work together and combat the spread of AIDS across the globe, there are currently 37.7 million people in the world who are living with HIV in 2020. Meanwhile, an alarming number of 1.5 million people are newly infected by aids related illness last year.

This is the reason why different nations must be united in bringing awareness to people about the severity of this chronic and life-threatening hiv epidemic.

About World Aids Day

The annual World AIDS Day is held on December 1. In honor of individuals who have died as a result of an AIDS-related disease, this is a day when people throughout the globe may come together in solidarity to combat HIV. AIDS Day was the first-ever worldwide health day, founded in 1988.

Its purpose

More than 35 million people have died from HIV or AIDS-related diseases since the virus was discovered in 1984, making it one of the most devastating pandemics in history. Today, there are regulations in place to safeguard persons living with HIV, as well as scientific advancements in HIV therapy.

A huge percentage of the world's population has been diagnosed with this illness, yet many people still don't know the facts about how to protect themselves or others, or how to deal with stigma and prejudice.

In order to keep the public and the government aware that HIV has not gone away, World AIDS Day serves as a reminder that we must continue to raise funds, educate the public about the disease, and battle discrimination.

2021 Theme

Every year, UN agencies, governments, and non-governmental organizations work together to raise awareness about certain HIV-related issues by assigning specific themes. The theme for 2021 commemoration for this holiday is “End inequalities, End AIDS, End pandemics.”

It is imperative that the disparities that fuel HIV and other pandemics throughout the globe be addressed on this World AIDS Day. There is a sense that a time of crisis is not the best moment to focus on addressing the root causes of the problem. However, it is evident that without addressing these injustices, the crisis cannot be resolved.

In this regard, the world risks missing its 2030 deadline to eliminate AIDS, as well as a long-term COVID-19 epidemic and a spiraling social and economic crisis, if it doesn't take aggressive action against inequities. And this is why they come up with this year’s theme.

How to get involved

There are many ways how we can show support and raise awareness about World AIDS Day this coming December 1.

1. Educate yourself about AIDS

It’s difficult to get yourself involved in a campaign if you don’t know much about it. So let’s take a look at the common facts about AIDS.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a chronic and possibly life-threatening illness. HIV impairs your body's capacity to fight infection and illness by weakening your immune system.

How can you get infected?

A virus is the cause of AIDS. You can have HIV when contaminated blood, semen, or vaginal secretions enter your system. This can happen by:

Having unprotected sex. If you have intercourse with an infected partner and their blood, semen, or vaginal fluids enter your body, you may get infected.

Sharing needles. Sharing contaminated IV drug equipment such as needles and syringes can put you at high risk of HIV and other infectious illnesses, such as hepatitis.

Blood transfusions. Transfusions of blood may spread the virus in rare situations. Anti-HIV screenings have been implemented in many health care facilities and blood banks, which help to reduce the risk of infection due to this method.

During pregnancy, delivery, or through breastfeeding. The virus may be transmitted from mother to child. When HIV-infected mothers get treatment during pregnancy, the danger to their children is greatly reduced.

There is no way to get HIV via normal interaction. As a result, you can't get HIV or AIDS through hugging or kissing someone who has the disease. Also, HIV does not spread by the air, water, or insect bites; rather, it is transmitted through direct contact with the virus.

2. Participate in the World AIDS campaign

You can participate in this world unite for World AIDS Day even while you’re at home while using social media by joining the hashtag #MyVoiceMyAction as well as #WorldAIDSDay or #WAD2021 and #StopHIVTogether. You can even change your display photo with a red ribbon frame.

3. Join a fundraising campaign

Civil society groups and individuals living with HIV organize to assist their communities and collect money for the AIDS response. You can do this by donating in the National AIDS Trust this World AIDS Day or you can do this by buying a red ribbon package from them or other products that they might be offering in order to raise funds for the campaign.

4. Get yourself tested

The only way to know whether you have HIV is to be tested. The sooner you begin treatment for HIV, the better your chances of enjoying a long, healthy, and productive life. HIV screenings are free and confidential. Here are some of the clinics in NCR and nearby provinces that offer free HIV testing:

NCR

Klinika Bernardo – Ermin Garcia Ave., Quezon City 0932 403 3412
Philippine General Hospital – Taft Ave., Manila (02) 554-8400 loc. 3249
Batasan Social Hygiene Clinic – #1 LBP Rd., Brgy. Batasan Hills, District 2, Quezon City 0932 136 3674
Mandaluyong Social Hygiene Clinic – Maysilo Circle, Mandaluyong City 0932 709 2912
San Lazaro Hospital – Quiricada St, Santa Cruz, Manila, Metro Manila (02) 732 3777
Love Yourself Anglo – Unit 5, 3/F, Anglo Building, #715-A Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City 0927 892 6611
Love Yourself Uni – 2028 Taft Avenue Extension, Pasay City (02) 256 9384
Love Yourself Welcome – 858 Blumentritt Road corner Remedios Street, Sampaloc, Manila 0967 207 1976
Victoria By Love Yourself – 2/F Torres Bldg., 2442 Park Avenue, Pasay City, Metro Manila 0915 831 8715
Lily by Love Yourself – 5th Floor, Pineda Building, #98 Manalac Ave., Sitio De Asis, San Martin de Porres, Paranaque City 0928 68 96422

Region 1

Region 1 Medical Center PINAS Unit – Arellano Street, Dagupan, Pangasinan (075) 515 8916 / 515 3030

Region 4-A

Dasmarinas City Health Office Social Hygiene Clinic – Zone 2, Manggubat St., City Health Office 1, Dasmarinas, Cavite (046) 416 0279

There is no vaccine to prevent HIV infection and no treatment for AIDS. However, HIV prevention is possible to do both by you and by others. It's important to remember that HIV/AIDS isn't going away on this World AIDS Day, as it has been for the last decade and more. We still have an urgent need for more money to support the AIDS response, raise people's understanding of the disease's effects, stop discrimination against those living with HIV, and enhance their quality of life.

Stop AIDS and join the global solidarity this World AIDS Day and promote human rights by supporting people living with HIV.