Sun Dec 01 04:05:09 UTC 2024: ## World AIDS Day 2024 Highlights Urgent Need for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment

**Geneva, Switzerland** – On World AIDS Day 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) underscored the continued global threat of HIV/AIDS, emphasizing the crucial distinction between HIV infection and the advanced stage, AIDS. An estimated 37.7 million people worldwide are currently living with HIV, a virus that attacks the body’s immune system, leaving individuals vulnerable to life-threatening illnesses.

Early HIV infection, which can manifest with flu-like symptoms within 2-4 weeks of exposure, is highly infectious. Without timely treatment with antiretroviral therapy (ART), HIV can progress to AIDS, characterized by severely weakened immunity and a drastically shortened life expectancy. However, ART can significantly slow disease progression, allowing people with HIV to live longer, healthier lives.

The WHO highlighted the alarming statistic of 80,000 children and adolescents (0-14 years old) living with HIV globally, primarily due to mother-to-child transmission. This underscores the importance of the WHO’s “triple elimination” initiative targeting the vertical transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B. The organization celebrates the success of Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Thailand in eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis.

Despite significant progress in treatment, late diagnosis and lack of access to ART remain major challenges. The WHO stresses the importance of early testing and consistent ART adherence to prevent progression to AIDS and minimize transmission. The organization reiterates that HIV is transmitted through specific bodily fluids and not through casual contact. While there is currently no cure, ART effectively manages the virus and significantly reduces the risk of transmission. World AIDS Day serves as a reminder of the ongoing need for prevention efforts, increased access to testing and treatment, and continued research to eradicate HIV/AIDS.

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