World AIDS Day 2012 Nigeria

World AIDS Day on 1 December brings together people from around the world to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic. The day is an opportunity for public and private partners to spread awareness about the status of the pandemic and encourage progress in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in high prevalence countries and around the world.

Between 2011-2015, World AIDS Days will have the theme of "Getting to zero: zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS related deaths". The World AIDS Campaign focus on "Zero AIDS related deaths" signifies a push towards greater access to treatment for all; a call for governments to act now. It is a call to honor promises like the Abuja declaration and for African governments to at least hit targets for domestic spending on health and HIV.

(source: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/annual/world_aids_day/en/index.html)

As promised here are some random interesting photos taken during the recent World AIDS Day activities here in Abuja.

While you enjoy the photos, here is the UNAIDS Executive Director’s message for World AIDS Day 2012:

To the millions who have come together with compassion and determination on this World AIDS Day, we say: “Your blood, sweat and tears are changing the world.”

We have moved from despair to hope.

Far fewer people are dying from AIDS.

25 countries have reduced new infections by more than 50%. I want these results in every country.

The pace of progress is quickening. It is unprecedented—what used to take a decade is now being achieved in just 24 months.

Now that we know rapid and massive scale up of HIV programmes is possible, we need to do more.

Friends, we only have a thousand days left before the deadline of the 2015 global AIDS targets.

So today, on World AIDS Day, let us renew our commitment to getting to zero.

Zero new HIV infections

Zero discrimination

Zero AIDS-related deaths

Here are 10 goals for 2015:

1. Sexual transmission of HIV reduced by half, including among young people, men who have sex with men and transmission in the context of sex work;
2. Vertical transmission of HIV eliminated and AIDS-related maternal deaths reduced by half;
3. All new HIV infections prevented among people who use drugs;
4. Universal access to antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV who are eligible for treatment;
5. TB deaths among people living with HIV reduced by half;
6. All people living with HIV and households affected by HIV are addressed in all national social protection strategies and have access to essential care and support;
7. Countries with punitive laws and practices around HIV transmission, sex work, drug use or homosexuality that block effective responses reduced by half;
8. HIV-related restrictions on entry, stay and residence eliminated in half of the countries that have such restrictions;
9. HIV-specific needs of women and girls are addressed in at least half of all national HIV responses;
10. Zero tolerance for gender-based violence.

culled from http://www.un.org/en/events/aidsday/

Here is an excerpt from http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/2011/10/getting-to-zero-zero-aids-related-deaths-2011-world-aids-day-theme-announced/

The 2011 HIV/AIDS report shows successes in the HIV response. But after years of international investment, just when we seem to have the right technologies, drugs, and approaches to keep the epidemic under control, success hangs in the balance. Universal access to treatment by 2015 is certainly an ambitious goal, but a realistic one if donor governments can maintain their commitment and if recipient nations adopt strategic and sustainable approaches in their HIV/AIDS programmes. Money well spent today means less money spent tomorrow.

Happy people

Show some love...condomize yourself!

Get tested today...it's the first step to staying free from HIV

Don't let HIV dance Azonto all over your life!

Ask questions...zero ignorance!

Learn all you can about HIV

For the full document on the "getting to zero" campaign, click on the following link:

http://www.unaids.org/en/media/unaids/contentassets/documents/unaidspublication/2010/JC2034_UNAIDS_Strategy_en.pdf

Hope you learnt something new and enjoyed the photos. Learn all you can about HIV. Get to zero ignorance! Knowledge is power. Power to protect yourself and your loved ones.

See our photos also on Facebook (http://facebook.com/Cognito.Studios)

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