World AIDS Day, recognized by many globally as a fatal disease, is observed to raise public awareness about its dangers and the needs of those living with the disease. The first day of December each year is internationally observed as World AIDS Day. While World AIDS Day is being commemorated, this disease now offers the opportunity to live a normal life if treatment is sought in its early stages. The theme set by the World Health Organization for this year’s day is, “Overcome Barriers, Change Perceptions on AIDS.” This theme aims to encourage efforts to protect human rights and eradicate AIDS by 2030, with political and international community assistance.
According to statistics from the World Health Organization, over 40 million people have been reported to be living with this disease. Furthermore, WHO statistics show that more than 600,000 people died from this disease in the past year alone. And it is estimated that nearly 2 million new cases were diagnosed in the past year alone.
The first case of AIDS in the Maldives was identified in 1991. According to HPA records, 40 people in the Maldives have been diagnosed with the disease up to 2022. This includes 6 women and 34 men. The HPA also states that by the end of 2022, 15 individuals had passed away from the disease.
AIDS is contracted through unprotected sexual intercourse, injecting drugs into the body using shared syringes or needles, and through unsafe transfusions of contaminated blood. Additionally, an infected person can transmit the disease to another through breastfeeding an infant. This is a disease caused by a virus. The nature of this disease causes people to fear it because it is considered a fatal disease that cannot be completely cured. Although a complete cure for this disease is not yet available, modern medical treatments can slow down the replication and spread of the virus in the body, as well as mitigate its effects on the body. As a result, with modern medical treatment and good health practices, the opportunity to live a long life with the disease has become available.
