Surat, Gujarat [India] December, 02: IADVL Media Cell organized a free consultation camp on 1st December 2021 on the occasion of AIDS Day by visiting various societies in Surat. In which people were given accurate information about AIDS. The camp was organized for the purpose of raising awareness about AIDS among the people.
People have a lot of misconceptions about AIDS so in such a situation it becomes very important for people to know the symptoms, causes and prevention of AIDS. In addition to it, a press conference was held to raise awareness about HIV and its effects. Also urged to eradicate stigma and integrate HIV+ people into the mainstream of society.
The theme for the 2021 AIDS awareness event was “Raise Awareness, Strengthening Community”
Inception of World AIDS Day was from 1988. Each year, organizations and individuals across the world bring attention to the HIV pandemic, endeavour to increase HIV awareness and its knowledge, speak out against HIV stigma, and call for an increased response to move toward Ending the HIV Pandemic. This year, the world agreed on a bold plan that, if leaders fulfil it and raise awareness, it will end AIDS by 2030. That’s so amazing.
But today we, IADVL Media Cell on HIV/AIDS, issued a stark warning. AIDS remains a pandemic, the red light is flashing and only by moving fast to end the inequalities that drive the pandemic is the only way to overcome it. Leaders should boldly and together, bringing together cutting-edge science, delivering services that meet all people’s needs, protecting human rights and sustaining adequate financing, also there are some good news that AIDS-related deaths and new HIV infections are becoming rare. But this is only the case in some locations and for some people.
Without the inequality-fighting approach, we need to end AIDS, the world would also struggle to end the COVID-19 pandemic and would remain unprepared for the any future pandemic. That would be profoundly dangerous for us all. Progress in AIDS, which was already off track, is now under even greater strain as the COVID-19 crisis continues to rage, disrupting HIV prevention and treatment services, schooling, violence prevention programmes by various institutions and many more.
On our current trajectory, we are not bending the curve fast enough & risk an AIDS pandemic lasting decades. We have to move faster with a set of concrete actions agreed by IADVL Media Cell Members states to address the inequalities that are driving HIV. Through fighting the AIDS pandemic, we have very much learned a lot about what we need more of for AIDS and for all pandemics.
We urgently need sufficient community-led & community-based infrastructure and many such institutions taking a step forward as part of a strong public health system, underpinned by robust civil society accountability. Also, we need many policies to ensure fair and affordable access to science and technology. Meanwhile, every new technology should reach each and everyone who needs it without delay.
We need to protect our health workers and expand their numbers to meet our urgent needs for any of such pandemic. Along with this, we must protect human rights and build trust in health systems. It is these that will ensure we close the inequality gaps and end AIDS. But they are too often applied unevenly, are underfunded and are underappreciated. We salute the frontline communities that have pioneered the approaches shown to be most effective, that have driven the momentum for change and that are pushing leaders to be bold.
World leaders must work together urgently to tackle these challenges in this problem. There is not a choice to be made between ending the AIDS pandemic that is raging today and preparing for the pandemics of tomorrow. The only successful approach will achieve both. As of now, we are not on track to achieve either. If we take on the inequalities that hold back to progress, we can deliver on the promise to end AIDS by 2030. It is in our hands. Every minute that passes, we are losing a precious life to AIDS. Hence, we don’t have time. So, let’s end this inequalities. End AIDS & End pandemics.
Dr Rashmi Sharma (Convener, IADVL MEDIA CELL)
Dr Jagdish Sakhiya (Chairperson, IADVL MEDIA CELL)
Dr Jayadev Betkerur (President, IADVL)
Dr Feroz K (Hon Secretary General, IADVL)
TEAM IADVL MEDIA CELL
Dr Jagdish Sakhiya
Dr Rashmi Sharma
Dr Atul Kathed
Dr Bhavesh Devani
Dr Piyush Borkhatariya
Dr Ashish Pimpley
Dr David Padukadam
Dr Kingshuk Chaterjee
Dr Subhransu Sekhar Patnaik
Dr Harsh Tahliani
Dr Aditya Mahajan
Dr Shashank Bhargava
Dr Shashank