WORLD AIDS DAY
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger
Photos: Denver Post
December 1st is symbolic as WORLD AIDS DAY. It is recognized all over the globe and well-known celebrities such as Bono, Christy Turlington Burns, George Bush, Alicia Keys and others are part of the worldwide campaign. While tremendous strides have been made in the fight and eradication of the disease, there is still so much more that we can do. Education and recognition are two important steps in the preparation to fight the battle.
Today marks the 30th year anniversary of the discovery of the disease. Over 600,000 Americans have lost their lives from the beginning. With determined vigilance, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, an international financing organization to fund prevention and treatment of the disease, as well as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, rolled out by the United States Government, have been up and running now for a few years.
Some of the steps put into place during the Obama Administration are:
· Lifesaving antiretroviral treatment for more than 3.9 million people.
· For prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT):
o HIV testing and counseling for more than 9.8 million pregnant women.
o Antiretroviral prophylaxis for more than 660,000 HIV-positive pregnant women.
o 200,000 infant HIV infections averted.
· Care and support for nearly 13 million people, including more than 4.1 million orphans and vulnerable children.
Statistics show that half of the 34 million adults worldwide living with HIV and AIDS are women. Roughly 1.2 million Americans are living with HIV with 50,000 becoming newly infected every year.
This is the beginning of the End of AIDS. The U.S. has been the leader in achieving scientific progress and translating that into programs.
Today President Obama called on the global community to join the United States in this undertaking. It will take a united global front to win the war. We are calling on other donors, governments, foundations and the private sector to join in providing charitable investments. The United States alone provided more than $5.8 billion through 2011.
Now you can help in the fight against this deadly disease. Take part in the (2015) QUILT being launched this year by (RED) and ONE, anti-poverty advocacy organizations. Spinning off on the 1987 AIDS QUILT, the (2015) QUILT allows you to pledge your support in the fight against HIV/AIDS and become a part of the network of the growing digital quilt. Be creative and design your own panel on the quilt, add a personal message and commit to buying a (RED) product during the holidays or join ONE with a friend. By 2015, let’s get the number of people infected by HIV/AIDS down to nearly zero.
In July of 2012, for the first time in over 20 years, the International AIDS Conference will take place in the United States and allow us the opportunity to speak out, communicate the message and get other countries to share the responsibility in order to reach the goal of a world free of HIV/AIDS forever.
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