World AIDS Day

Photo: International AIDS Society/Steve Forrest

World AIDS Day is marked globally on 1 December.
This is a time to raise awareness in the wider community about the issues surrounding HIV and AIDS. It is a day to demonstrate support for people living with HIV and to commemorate those who have died. Wearing a red ribbon is an internationally recognised way of showing solidarity and raising awareness of HIV.

This is also a time when we remember the members of the bleeding disorder community who were affected by HIV when in the mid-1980s HIV was transmitted through some batches of clotting factor treatment product. As a result of this tragic episode, some people lost partners, family members, children, patients, colleagues and friends.

Some people with bleeding disorders continue to live with the challenges of HIV; and we acknowledge the individuals who inspire us by their positive attitude, resilience and determination to build a better future.

In 2014 the World AIDS Day global campaign continues the theme of:

Getting to zero

  • Zero new HIV infections
  • Zero discrimination
  • Zero AIDS related deaths

In Australia, the aim is to encourage all Australians to:

  • Be aware that HIV still exists in the community
  • Take action to prevent transmission of HIV by promoting safe sex practices
  • Support and understand people living with or affected by HIV
  • And uphold the right of people living with HIV to participate in the community free from stigma and discrimination.

AIDS 2014

In July 2014 the International AIDS Conference brought 13,600 delegates from over 200 countries to Melbourne with a theme of Stepping up the Pace. It was an exciting and inspiring event. Conference sessions reflected on the impact of HIV on the local community, including among people with bleeding disorders, and the strength of the response in Australia. The Conference also looked to the future, with the promise of a “cure” for HIV, new, safe and effective hepatitis C treatments for those co-infected with HIV/HCV, overcoming discrimination, and programs and strategies for people living with HIV who are now moving into their senior years.

In this issue of National Haemophilia we celebrate Stepping up the Pace with articles on:

HIV remission as a potential cure for HIV
An update on new hepatitis C treatments
Disclosing your bleeding disorder and BBVs.

For more information about World AIDS Day, contact your local HIV organisation or visit www.worldaidsday.org.au.

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