World AIDS Day raises awareness, honors lives lost, and promotes unity in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths are increasing in the Western Pacific region, undoing years of progress in combating the epidemic.
New HIV infections have risen by eight percent and AIDS-related deaths by 10 percent since 2019, highlighting critical gaps in prevention, testing, treatment and care services, particularly for key populations, according to the WHO regional office in Manila.
World AIDS Day 2024
On World AIDS Day 2024, (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
World AIDS Day
) we stand together to raise awareness, fight stigma, and honor those affected. Let¡¦s promote education, ensure access to treatment, and work toward a world without HIV/AIDS. Every voice matters in the fight for prevention and compassion. Together, we can make a difference¡Xending the epidemic starts with us.
While 76 percent of people living with HIV in the region have access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy. “Experts agree that these disturbing trends show that much more needs to be done to stop the spread of HIV and prevent avoidable deaths,” the UN health agency said in its media release.
The Western Pacific region faces significant challenges, with 2.3 million people living with HIV, 140,000 new infections and 53,000 deaths in 2023 alone, the WHO said, Xinhua news agency reported.
“The rising HIV infections and deaths in the Western Pacific region are a wake-up call. We must urgently address the barriers that prevent people, especially those in key populations and their partners, from accessing prevention, treatment, and care,” said Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO regional Director for the Western Pacific.
Reference:
- World AIDS Day – (https://www.who.int/southeastasia/news/detail/01-12-2024-world-aids-day)
Source-IANS
