30th World AIDS Day: 'Know Your Status' tops UNAIDS agenda

<p>The 2018 edition of World Aids Day is the 30th anniversary of a day set aside to commemorate the global combat against the deadly disease.</p> <p>December 1 every year has been slated by the United Nations as World Aids Day with the <span class="caps">UNAIDS</span> leading the global celebrations.</p> <p>This year, <span class="caps">UNAIDS</span> Executive Director who is in South Africa for the event stressed the need for people to know their statuses in his message.</p> <p>Michel Sidibe was joined by South Africa’s Deputy President, David Mabuza, for the event taking place in Soweto. South Africa is known to be one of the African countries with a high prevalence rate of the disease.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A privilege to join Deputy President <a href="https://twitter.com/DDMabuza?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"><code>DDMabuza</a>, Minister Motsoaledi, dignitaries, young people & community members at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldAIDSDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldAIDSDay</a> event in Soweto ??.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KnowYourStatus?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KnowYourStatus</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chekaimpilo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#chekaimpilo</a> <a href="https://t.co/jBGzm7BuUt">pic.twitter.com/jBGzm7BuUt</a></p>— Michel Sidibé (</code>MichelSidibe) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichelSidibe/status/1068807166239391745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <p>“On this World <span class="caps">AIDS</span> Day, <span class="caps">UNAIDS</span> is campaigning for people to know their <span class="caps">HIV</span> status and their viral load. In 2017, 9.4 million people were simply unaware that they are living with a potentially deadly, but treatable, disease. </p> <p>“If people don’t know their <span class="caps">HIV</span> status, people who are living with <span class="caps">HIV</span> can’t start treatment, and people who are <span class="caps">HIV</span>-negative can’t get the knowledge and skills they need to keep that way. If people don’t know their <span class="caps">HIV</span> status, they can’t protect themselves, their families, their partners. </p> <p>“If people living with <span class="caps">HIV</span> don’t know their viral load, they won’t be sure that the treatment is effective, protecting their health and stopping <span class="caps">HIV</span> transmission,” Sidibe’s message read in parts whiles he admitted that 30 years on, there was a long way to go despite successes chalked.</p> <p>World <span class="caps">AIDS</span> Day is a day to remember the millions of people who have lost their lives to <span class="caps">AIDS</span>-related illnesses, many of whom died because they couldn’t access <span class="caps">HIV</span> services, because of stigma, because of discrimination and because of criminalization of key populations. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldAIDSDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldAIDSDay</a> we stand in solidarity with all people living with or affected by <span class="caps">HIV</span>, and remember our friends and family who have died from <span class="caps">AIDS</span>-related illnesses.<br /> <br /> Statement from <span class="caps">UNAIDS</span> Executive Director <a href="https://twitter.com/MichelSidibe?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"><code>MichelSidibe</a> here: <a href="https://t.co/DHL9MxCtjV">https://t.co/DHL9MxCtjV</a> <a href="https://t.co/dC9h3m68EV">pic.twitter.com/dC9h3m68EV</a></p>— UNAIDS (</code>UNAIDS) <a href="https://twitter.com/UNAIDS/status/1068752847095894016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

If people don’t know their HIV status, they can’t protect themselves, their families, their partners.