World AIDS Day 2022 - Anyone doing anything?

[Jim Allen]

Dec 1st is World Aids Day, and if I am not mistaken, this year will be the 35th time that this date has been marked globally.

Is anyone doing anything this year?

1.5 million people acquired HIV in 2021, and an estimated 510 000 to 860 000 died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2021.

Unaids has the equalize campaign this year, a call to address inequalities and help end AIDS. https://www.unaids.org/en/2022-world-aids-day

https://www.poz.com/article/inequalities-blocking-end-aids-pandemic

[zach]

I didn't know it was today. I'm only in the clinic twice a year, today's the day, southern church folks are feeding everyone.

The Ponce clinic is being remodeled, the new check in greeting desk is in the old office space of a friend that passed away. Had a moment with my emotions.

[J.R.E.]

I watch a lot of news, and once again,... NO mention of World Aids Day. Maybe they will give a brief mention on the World news tonight.

Ray

[Tonny2]

           ojo.              Hi all!!
I was watchig CNN, during the press conference with Francee’s president, Biden mentioned WORLD. AIDS DAY and wanrs the end of the hiv pandemic over for the year 2030. ALSo, after that, CNN mentioned world aids day and even mentioned a new vaccine study first and hase, with very promising results. Let’s wait and see…hugs

[leatherman]

I caught Biden speaking too. It's funny, and not in the good way, I remember back when I was really involved with the Ryan White program and the goal was to "end the aids epidemic by 2020". Hopefully the campaign doesn't change in a few years to "by 2040".

I also hate that slogan - "ending the aids epidemic". I don't think most people understand the difference between HIV and AIDS. Ending the AIDS epidemic is not the same thing as ending the HIV epidemic but most people think the slogan means getting rid of HIV and that's not it. It means stopping AIDS from happening due to late diagnosis and/or no medication. People living with HIV will be around for a long time yet, that's not "ending".

Unfortunately World AIDS Day these days just leaves me feeling, I guess, unfulfilled. As the years have gone by and the vast bulk of AIDS deaths in America receded further into that past, WAD seems to have changed it's meaning. Instead of memorial services, many events are now more about HIV awareness and prevention. I think programs like Ryan White and Ending the Epidemic have influenced the change. HIV funding has become, as HIV has become a chronic manageable disease (if treated!) more focused on prevention. In turn, during the last decade-plus, WAD events, especially when sponsored by an HIV organization receiving federal funding, have become more and more about prevention - leaving out the uncomfortable part of remembering those who have been lost to HIV/AIDS.

I remember even back in the mid 2010s having to push the agencies I worked with to re-incorporate a memorial part to their WAD events. I've noticed that since I quit my volunteer work, and since many of HIV clinics have become FQHCs (federally qualified health centers) that quite a number of agencies have dropped WAD events or turned them into nothing but prevention events. Of course this outcome was predictable as becoming FHQCs meant the funding and performance measures would tend toward prevention along with the FHQCs losing their previous HIV-centric goals and treating all diseases. (HIV is just not that big of a problem when only .6% of the USA population is affected.)

I would suggest too that we don't hear about WAD events as much anymore because, in part due to the push of the funding, these events are more targeted. Rather than large crowds in a city gathering for a candle light vigil, now these events are targeted to younger people, LGBTQ, etc.

Although, I should point out, that many religious orgs/churches do have WAD events that include more of a remembrance/memorial motif that's based on spiritual comfort than prevention, especially when not influenced by federal funding.

I guess, as a TL;DR, having lost a lot of people in my life to AIDS, I'm just a grumbly old long term survivor who misses the old days when WAD was a memorial to our loved ones.  But, yea! go prevention!