“I belong to upper class…I am educated…I am hygienic…I believe in liberal thinking...I am aware of contraceptives…I will never get AIDS…”

So, if you think you can never acquire this infection, then you are WRONG. One step taken in desperation can get you infected with this horrendous virus – HIV.

‘AIDS’ - The most dreaded disease. It is a threat to men, women and children on all the continents of the world.

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome which is caused by a virus called HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus).

• Acquired means to get infected with
• Immune deficiency means that the body’s immune system is weakened and cannot fight back diseases
• Syndrome means a group of health signs and symptoms that make up a disease

According to UNAIDS (The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS), the estimation for 2007 showed that there were 33.2 million people living with HIV, including 1.9 to 2.3 million children. During 2007 some 2.7 million people became newly infected with the virus. As per the statistics, more than 25 million people have died of AIDS since 1981. In developing and transitional countries, 9.7 million people are in immediate need of life-saving AIDS drugs, and out of so many infected, only 31% are receiving the drugs. In 2006, the Government of India estimated that about 2.45 million Indians were living with HIV.

World AIDS Day started on 1st December 1988. This day is important in reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done. World AIDS Day is about raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education.

1st December 2008 - marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. Although we have come a long ways since 1988, there is still much more to be done.

‘Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise – Leadership’ is the slogan for this year (in continuation with the last year’s theme) to bring attention to the global AIDS epidemic. Leadership is selected as the theme for World AIDS Day to encourage leaders at all levels to stop AIDS.

World AIDS Day is seen as an opportunity for the world to come together and demonstrate the importance of AIDS awareness in unison. There is still much to be done to control this frightful infection amongst the non-sufferers, and there is much more to be done to alleviate the physical and mental suffering of those who are infected.

So, this year, let us all be the leaders and lead in initiating the essential awareness required to save the world from AIDS!