MANILA, Philippines – World AIDS Day is observed today (Wednesday), to strengthen public awareness and to proactively fight against the spread of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

World AIDS Day was conceived in 1987 by James W. Bunn and Thomas W. Netter, Information Officers for the Global Program on AIDS at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland. Their concept was presented to Dr. Jonathan M. Mann, director of the Global Program on AIDS, who recommended the observance of the event. Thus, the first World AIDS Day was observed on December 1, 1988.

This year’s theme is “Universal Access and Human Rights.” The theme stresses that everyone must take action to ensure that human rights are protected and global targets for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care are met. The theme highlights the need to achieve universal access to HIV/AIDS services. It is also a reminder to national governments to show greater commitment in dealing with HIV/AIDS problems.

HIV is a virus which attacks the immune system leaving the body vulnerable to a variety of life-threatening infections and cancers. Once the immune system is destroyed, the body is open to unusual and severe infections, cancers, and other diseases affecting the brain and the central nervous system – AIDS. It has been noted that about 33.4 million people are infected with HIV and 2.1 million of them are children. Most of the cases are found in low-and–middle-income countries.

No vaccine has been discovered yet to cure HIV infection or AIDS. What is only available are medications to slow the progression of the infection. The disease has a devastating impact on societies, economies, and infrastructures, so it is important to stay safe and be healthy.