Forty years since the first AIDS cases were detected, HIV still continues to be a major global health challenge. Every year on December 1, many World AIDS Day events occurs across the globe to not only raise awareness, fight stigma, improve education about HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) but also to encourage people to get tested, let them know that some health clinics offer free HIV testing, and take action to support people living with HIV.
At present, around 38 million people are universally living with HIV. Many people infected with HIV do not know they have it. According to the latest statistics, HIV population in Iran stood at approximately 54,000 (Range: 39,000-130,000) in 2020.
As COVID-19 is now exacerbating inequities and disruptions to services and making the lives of many people living with HIV more challenging, WHO and its partners are highlighting the growing inequalities in access to essential HIV services and the 2021 theme of World AIDS Day has been specified “End inequalities. End AIDS”, with a special focus on reaching people left behind.
