1st December is marked as international World AIDS Day all over the world. It has been a tradition to make people aware of AIDS/HIV on this particular day. It is noticed that lots of developments are taking place in the sector of the medical field in the year 2025. The treatment is also becoming better, people are becoming aware, and people are even aware of AIDS/ HIV. In such a situation, it is most essential to celebrate the happening of World AIDS Day. It is realized that people are mostly of the opinion that AIDS/HIV is a less serious disease, which is not true.
Incidents like the HIV infection cases are still continuing, affecting the life of a person even to date but not necessarily in India. It is not awareness when people are aware of the name of the disease, but it is awareness when people are thoroughly aware of how a particular disease is caused, how one can protect oneself from a particular disease, and how people with a particular disease are treated with respect, care, and dignity.
Actually, people need awareness even to date in 2025.
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus, commonly known as the HIV, is a type of virus that affects the immunity cells within a human being. This is mainly because, as a result of the said disease, it creates a condition that is known as Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, which is another name for AIDS. The truth, however, is that individuals with the HIV virus are living healthy lives because of medication, which has been the biggest success in modern science.
Despite all these, people think that the infection of the HIV virus is a “death sentence.” This is because people are still fed with outdated information. It is because of such beliefs that people are not willing to take the test, that people hide the infection, and that people even don’t consider treatments. In relation to the preparations for the celebration of the observance of World AIDS Day, people are encouraged that the infection of the HIV virus is a health matter, not a moral matter, that can be treated properly.
Need for Continuous Awareness
The reason why, even in the year 2025, people are still aware of AIDS is because people are still being infected with the AIDS virus. The bottom line when it comes to youth is that they are at risk because of the inappropriate knowledge that the youth possess when it comes to sex. People are embarrassed to discuss sex, which is what is putting people at risk.
Such awareness is also helpful in cases where it is known how the disease is acquired, as well as how it is not acquired. Even to date, there are a number of myths that are common. For example, it is a belief that the disease can be acquired by touch, by sharing food, by a hug, as well as from the washroom. It is awareness that brings about such misconceptions being eradicated since instead of fear, facts are brought up on World AIDS Day.
Stigma and discrimination may be considered a risk even in the present. Though it’s the year 2025, people living with HIV are still discriminated against; discrimination is seen in job opportunities, learning institutions, in the household, and people fear them, while others believe that it is the blame of a victim to be living with the condition. It is a huge burden on the mind. It’s embarrassing, not for the disease itself, but how society chooses to cope with it. The relevance of World AIDS Day is that people living with AIDS aren’t people living with AIDS; they are people with wants, a job, a family, feelings, and so on. Rather, the stigma must be taken away, and a disease is crying for treatment.
Test & Early Diagnosis: What is Its Role?
Considering the current unprecedented times, the greatest strengths are that at this time, there are available tests for those who might be infected with the virus. This is a great opportunity given to individuals whereby they have a chance of taking their medicine in time, which is a very big aspect within the process of ensuring that the disease is not spread. Yet, despite all this, people are still unwilling to go for a test because of the sense of judgment and discrimination. Awareness is necessary in that it leads to people feeling closer to going for a test fearlessly because people are made aware that only responsible people go for a test. Sometimes, there was a testing campaign, where people are called upon to take the test, especially on World AIDS Day. In this regard, one usually comes across a well-worn slogan-“Health, not fear.”
Role of youth in disseminating awareness
The youth are a very significant component when it comes to the creation of awareness concerning the issue pertaining to individuals living with HIV/AIDS in the year 2025. “The problem of HIV, but miscommunication, stigma, and behavior cannot be cured by medication,” Kumar said. This is because, as has been said, a lot is when people are made aware of how infections can be prevented, how patients suffering from such a disease need to be treated with dignity and how it even helps health programs, “The problem is that this drastic change cannot be brought about in the top hospitals when there is lack of awareness,” Kumar said.
Mental Health & Emotional Support
“Living with an HIV infection is a condition which is as much physical as it is psychological in nature.” The patient has to live with certain anxieties, fears, feelings of isolation, depression, or even all such feelings together. The observation of the World AIDS Day gives people a reason to sympathize as well as empathize with others. It gives a call to remember that a person needs sympathy not only in treatment but also in support. And it is highly essential to live life with confidence.
Global responsibility and solidarity
This is because the observation of the World AIDS Day is a practice that is common in all around the world, which clearly states that the problem of HIV/AIDS is a problem that is all around the world. This is because it has been made known because of health awareness that health problems don’t end with borders. The year 2025 has been a year when the need for the international community to unite has been more necessary than at any other point in the past. Raising awareness is a major part of this that brings the entire world together, whether it is nations, different organizations, or individuals, with a common goal of wiping out discrimination as well as infections.
Role of Social Media in Awareness Raising
In this modern era which we are living in, because of the increase in use of the digital technology, the social media has become a major tool for awareness. The awareness videos, posts, and stories reach a massive number of people in a very short span of time. If used properly, social media helps demote myths, tell real stories, and assist tests and treatments. The online events on the observation of World AIDS Day go a long way in making the discussion on AIDS even more open, especially within the youth generation.
Conclusion
The World AIDS Day in the year 2025 is more than a date that is marked on the calendar. It is an event which reminds us that yes, we have come a long way in our fight against AIDS, but the fact remains that the fight is still happening. It is a reminder that yes, we are aware, but people are still misinformed. The need is to spread the right message, to tell people to get themselves tested, to support people living with AIDS, and treat people with dignity is how one can come close to a life that is free from discrimination, free from fear. “HIV/AIDS is a health issue, not a tag to the society.” This again marks that it is the need of the hour when we do not forget that humanity,
