HIV Prevention Remains Elusive

On December 1, the world gathers every year to commemorate World AIDS Day, which serves as an important reminder that we must remain steadfast in our commitment to prevent new HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infections and provide essential services to all people living with HIV globally.

- Dr Manbeena Chawla

In 2024, the 37th World AIDS Day opens with the theme, “Collective Action: Sustain and Accelerate HIV Progress.”

According to reports by the World Health Organisation (WHO), approximately 39.9 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2023. To be specific, an estimated 1.3 million people became infected with HIV in 2023. While there has been marked progress in sub-Saharan Africa, for the first time, in 2023 more than half of the new HIV infections occurred outside of sub-Saharan Africa.

Within the South East Asian region, an estimated 4 million people were living with HIV in 2023, of which 78 per cent knew their status, and 66 per cent were receiving treatment. Speaking of India, reports suggest that in 2023, 68,000 people were newly infected with HIV.

As HIV continues to be a major global public health issue, claiming 42.3 million lives so far, in 2023, 630,000 people died from HIV-related causes globally. It must also be noted that the global HIV epidemic claimed 69 per cent fewer lives in 2023 since the peak in 2004.