News
World Aids Day
2009 marks the 21sth anniversary of World AIDS Day. Since 1988, individuals and organisations from around the world have been coming together on December 1st to bring attention to the global AIDS pandemic.
World AIDS Day is about raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. The World AIDS Day theme for 2009 is ‘Universal Access and Human Rights'. World AIDS Day is important in reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done.
According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 33.4 million people living with HIV, including 2.1 million children. During 2008 some 2.7 million people became newly infected with the virus. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS related illnesses before they are 35.A vast majority of people with HIV and AIDS live in lower- and middle-income countries.
But HIV today is a threat to men, women and children on all continents around the world. In Ireland, there are approximately 5,000 people living with HIV and AIDS.
For further information and support please contact:
Open Heart House - www.openhearthouse.ie
Dublic Aids Alliance www.dublinaidsalliance.ie
Aids Care Education & Training ACET - www.acet.ie
Concern Worldwide - www.concern.net
