OFID observes World AIDS Day

December 1, 2015. The first of December marks World AIDS Day.

World AIDS Day has taken place on December 1st every year since 1988.

It provides an opportunity to draw attention to the HIV epidemic around the world. Many people choose to organise an event on or around December 1st, to raise awareness of HIV, to remember loved ones who have died, to show solidarity with people living with HIV, to celebrate survival and health, and to raise money for HIV and related causes.

We have what it takes to break the AIDS epidemic.

Already 15 million people are accessing life-saving HIV treatment. New HIV infections have been reduced by 35% since 2000 and AIDS-related deaths have been reduced by 42% since the peak in 2004.

To end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals will require investment, commitment and innovation to be accelerated.

The Fast-Track approach:

In 2001, OFID took steps to consolidate and strengthen its involvement in the global effort against HIV/AIDS by creating a special program. As of September 30, 2015, over US$88m had been approved under the program. Today, OFID is working with a broad coalition of strategic partners to fight the pandemic in over 90 countries. Our interventions cover many areas, including awareness, prevention, testing and counselling, as well as care, treatment and support.

OFID has been partnering with UNESCO to fund education in some of the world's most vulnerable regions since 1985. This video highlights our school-based HIV/AIDS education initiative, which was carried out in 17 countries throughout East and Southern Africa. OFID and the International AIDS SocietyThe biennial international AIDS conferences are organized by the International AIDS Society (IAS), which OFID has supported since 2004. OFID has also extended grants totaling over US$2m to enable participants from developing countries to attend the conferences. As a lead-up to the 2014 conference, OFID hosted a joint OFID/IAS workshop Overcoming HIV in Conservative Social Settings. OFID's latest grant to the IAS was approved in July 2015. It will support the 21st International AIDS conference (AIDS 2016), to be held July 17-22, 2016, in Durban, South Africa, during which OFID will finance the participation of young scientists and community and civil society representatives. OFID will hold a another joint OFID/IAS workshop in Turkey in 2016, prior to the conference, which will gather experts from OFID Member Countries and others to discuss "HIV in Conservative Social Settings". The conclusions of this workshop will then be presented during a special OFID session at AIDS 2016.