The 1st of December marks World AIDS Day.

It is held to show support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate those we have lost to AIDS-related conditions, or other conditions associated with HIV.

The theme for World AIDS Day in Australia is “40 Years of HIV – where to next?”, with the aim to encourage Australians to educate themselves and others about HIV; to take action to reduce the transmission of HIV by promoting prevention strategies; and to ensure that people living with HIV can participate fully in the life of the community, free from stigma and discrimination.

HIV continues to be a major public health crisis in Australia and around the world. Scientific advances have made great strides in the prevention and treatment of HIV, but there is still no cure, and there is still no vaccine.

The LGBTQIA+ community has been particularly devastated by HIV/AIDS, and ALBANY PRIDE would like to take the opportunity to commemorate those in our community who have lost their lives and to their friends and family; we would like to acknowledge those who are living with HIV, and their place within our community; and to acknowledge and thank the people who have stood by and supported those living with HIV, and the tireless efforts of related organisations that support people living with HIV, and their efforts to promote and find the best means of prevention and treatment.

It’s also very important to rememeber that HIV/AIDS can affect anyone – regardless of sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, gender, or age.

There are approximately 37.7 million people across the glove with HIV: approximately 36 million are adults, and 1.7 million are children aged 0-14. 53% of all people living with HIV are women and girls.

ALBANY PRIDE would also ask that you take the time to learn about HIV/AIDS: how it is transmitted; the importance of safe-sex (such as using condoms and lubricant), regular testing, and not sharing items such as needles and personal care items such as razors; and about anti-viral medications such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).

Education is a very key part of prevention, but also ending the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS.

For information about HIV/AIDS, please visit:
– http://www.worldaidsday.org.au/…/Content/get-the-facts-1
– https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/fact-sheet