Rights, Health, Action: The Global Push to End AIDS
The world can end AIDS—but only if we protect everyone’s rights, says the World Health Organisation (WHO). This World AIDS Day (December 1st) is focused on the theme, “Take the Rights Path: My Health, My Right!” WHO calls for global leaders and citizens to tackle inequalities and focus on human rights to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
In Belize, the National AIDS Commission celebrated World AIDS Day on Friday. Enrique Romero, the Executive Director, highlighted that the government now provides free HIV medications and preventive supplies. However, he stressed that ending HIV requires more than just medical solutions. Romero said, “One of the critical barriers is the fact that young people can consent to have sex at the age of sixteen, but they cannot access health services until they are eighteen. So that disparity creates a huge barrier.”
WHO reports that in 2023, about 39.9 million people lived with HIV, with 1.3 million new infections. WHO emphasises that everyone should have access to HIV prevention, treatment, and care without discrimination. Stigma and discrimination, especially for vulnerable groups like men who have sex with men, sex workers, and people in prisons, remain major barriers to care.
WHO also stated that new technologies, like mobile health apps and biomedical tools such as PrEP, will help, but stigma continues to be an obstacle.
WHO continues its commitment to the 95-95-95 goals—diagnosing 95% of people with HIV, ensuring 95% of them receive treatment, and achieving viral suppression for 95% of those on treatment. This World AIDS Day, WHO urges everyone to support the rights and health of people living with HIV, so they can say, “My Health, My Right!”
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