1st December – every year World Aids Day 1st December – every year

What are HIV and AIDS? HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV attacks the body’s immune system – the body’s defence against diseases. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. A person is considered to have AIDS when the immune system has become so weak that it can no longer fight off a whole range of diseases with which it would normally cope.

HIV Facts International Statistics There are over 33 million people living with HIV worldwide. Since AIDS was first identified over 20 years ago, more than 25 million people have died. There are more than 11 million children who have lost one or both parents to AIDS in Africa.

HIV Facts UK Statistics There are more than 80,000 people living with HIV in the UK There are around 1,500 young people under 19 accessing HIV care in the UK An estimated 20,000 children live in a family affected by HIV in the UK Between 7,000 and 8,000 people are diagnosed with HIV in the UK each year.

HIV Treatment There is no cure for HIV but since 1995 there have been drugs available to treat it. Treatments are often quite complicated and don’t always work.

World AIDS DAY and the red ribbon World AIDS DAY is always on 1st December. It was the very first international health day. It was started by the World Health Organisation in 1988, in recognition of the need to address the HIV pandemic. The red ribbon is worn across the world as a sign of support for people living with HIV.

Every 12 seconds someone is infected by HIV/AIDS

(the equivalent of all the people in this hall x 36) That’s 7200 people a day (the equivalent of all the people in this hall x 36)

Did you know? 80,000 people in the UK have HIV or Aids (that’s the equivalent of 400 of these halls)

Did you know? 14 million children have been orphaned by AIDS (That’s 70,000 of these halls)

Agatha, with her grandchildren who were orphaned by AIDS

(that’s 125,000 of these halls) ¾ of these were in Africa Did you know? Aids has killed more than 25 million people – including 2.5million children (that’s 125,000 of these halls) ¾ of these were in Africa

Tobias, born with HIV, South Africa

Why Africa? Lack of education about how HIV spreads Lack of money to pay for the treatment (it costs 30p a day)

Akinyi, HIV positive, receiving her treatment drugs, Kenya

So What is World Aids Day? World Aids day is about raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. HIV has not gone away and there are many things still to be done.

Maria, HIV positive, with her ARV drugs in Botswana

Tom, raising awareness of HIV/Aids, London

The Red Ribbon is the global symbol for solidarity with HIV-positive people and those living with AIDS

World AIDS Day is every 1 December. It’s the time of year when the world stands together in the fight against HIV, where we show support for people living with HIV and remember people who have died.  Many people, including young people, don’t know the facts about how to protect themselves and others, and stigma and discrimination remain a reality for people living with HIV and their families.  

#WorldAIDSDay www.AIDS2016.org #AIDS2016 With HIV in the news at the moment, it’s a really important time to be raising awareness of the facts and reducing stigma.  FACT: Every day, about 5,600 people contract #HIV. That’s more than 230 every hour. FACT: The fight against #AIDS is about social justice & reaching those who still lack access. FACT: #HIV programmes have prevented 7.8 million deaths. What can we achieve in the next 15 years? FACT: Over 1 million people die every year from #AIDS. That's 1 million mums, dads, kids & friends #WorldAIDSDay www.AIDS2016.org #AIDS2016

FACT: The 1st #WorldAIDSDay was in 1988 when treatment options were sharply limited. We must continue the fight www.AIDS2016.org #AIDS2016 FACT: We've reached 15 million people w/ #HIV treatment, yet we're still less then half way there. FACT: 1st December - This #WorldAIDSDay, join the global front against HIV and support #AIDS2016.

MOST PEOPLE DIAGNOSED WITH HIV NOW HAVE A NORMAL LIFE-EXPECTANCY (UK)

You can make a difference! Get more information at: https://www.worldaidsday.org/fundraising You can make a difference! Get more information on aids – what it stands for and how it is contracted at: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/HIV/Pages/Introduction.aspx

HIV myths 'endure from the 1980s' Myths about HIV that were common in the 1980s still endure, according to the Terrence Higgins Trust. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln_8eqmzHo0&feature=youtu.be

HIV myths 'endure from the 1980s' Myths about HIV that were common in the 1980s still endure, according to the Terrence Higgins Trust. A survey of 2,000 people to mark last Thursday's World Aids Day explored the beliefs that still persist, despite the significant medical advances since that time. Here are five common mistaken beliefs about how HIV is contracted and treated: HIV cannot be passed on through kissing

Myth - HIV can be transmitted by kissing Truth - The YouGov survey found 20% still believed this - but HIV cannot be passed on through skin-to-skin contact or saliva.

Myth - Sharing a toothbrush with someone who has HIV can pass on the virus Truth - Just under a third believed this - but it is not possible because HIV does not survive outside the body.

Myth - People with HIV will pass it on to their children Truth - Effective treatment works by reducing the amount of the virus in the blood to undetectable levels. It means people with HIV who are being treated can have babies without passing it on - 29% of the people surveyed were not aware of this.

Myth - If someone has HIV they will die young Truth - The advances in treatment also mean that people with HIV can and do live into old age, which only half of those in the survey knew.

Myth - It is not possible to have sex with someone who has HIV without contracting it Truth - This year, a landmark study proved that people on effective HIV treatment cannot transmit the virus - even through sex. Only 39% in the survey were aware that was the case. The much bigger risk of transmission is from people who have no idea they are living with the virus so may be unwittingly passing it on.

Ian Green, chief executive of THT, said: "We've come a long way since the Aids crisis first emerged, when the nation was gripped by panic and fear. "Thankfully, we now know far more about how HIV is and is not transmitted and medical advances now mean HIV doesn't have to stand in the way of living a long and healthy life. "But it's not over. While science has moved on, we can see today that inaccurate myths from the 1980s are still deeply entrenched in society, both in terms of how HIV is transmitted and what it's like to live with HIV." He added: "Misunderstanding of the virus can fuel stigma and cause immense distress for people coming to terms with an HIV diagnosis. Much more needs to be done to bring the British public up to date with what HIV means in 2016." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6_VscJL15I&feature=youtu.be

1st December – every year World Aids Day 1st December – every year