World AIDS Day

Andrew Moscrop BMJ

1 December will mark the thirteenth World AIDS Day and the culmination of the 2001 World AIDS Campaign.

The purpose of World AIDS Day is to raise awareness of the disease and to encourage changes in attitudes towards people with HIV and AIDS. The National AIDS Trust is responsible for coordinating World AIDS Day activities in Britain. It claims that increasing public knowledge and understanding of the issues will benefit people with AIDS by reducing the prejudice that they face in society. It is also hoped that increased publicity and public interest will prompt people in power to invest in sexual health campaigns and the search for a vaccine.

AIDS is not an issue for just one day of the year. World AIDS Day marks the culmination of the World AIDS Campaign that runs throughout the year. This year's campaign has focused on the role of men in the AIDS epidemic, using the theme and slogan "I care... do you?" By promoting a "caring" image of men, especially in developing countries, the campaign aims to challenge concepts of masculinity and common male attitudes and behaviours that presently threaten the health and wellbeing of men and their partners.

In Britain, the National AIDS Trust is asking people to donate time or money to local AIDS charities, to find out more about HIV and AIDS, and to wear red ribbons as a symbol of their awareness. In July the Department of Health published its first ever national strategy on sexual health and HIV services. The strategy will be rolled out over the next 10 years and will be backed by a government investment of £47.5m during the first two years. Key elements of the strategy include a national information campaign and the offer of routine HIV testing by all sexual health clinics in an effort to reduce the number of undiagnosed cases. Over 30000 people are living with AIDS in Britain, an estimated one third being unaware of their infection. Globally, 36 million have the disease and 8000 people die each day from AIDS related causes.