World AIDS day celebrated every year all over world on Dec 1 to raise public awareness about AIDS

Kolkata: World AIDS day is celebrated every year all over the world on December 1 to raise the public awareness about AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome).AIDS is a pandemic disease caused due to the infection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).World AIDS Day celebration has become the most recognized health days celebrations internationally. World AIDS Day celebration offers the key opportunity to the health organizations to increase the awareness among people, most possible access to the treatment as well as discussing the preventive measures.

The day is celebrated by the government organizations, NGOs, civil society and other health officials by organizing the speeches or forums discussion related to the AIDS.To complement the global World AIDS Day 2017 campaign which promotes the theme "Right to health", the World Health Organization (WHO) will highlight the need for all 36.7 million people living with HIV and those who are vulnerable and affected by the epidemic, to reach the goal of universal health coverage.

Under the slogan "Everybody counts", WHO will advocate for access to safe, effective, quality and affordable medicines, including medicines, diagnostics and other health commodities as well as health care services for all people in need, while also ensuring that they are protected against financial risks.

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) targets the immune system and weakens people's defence systems against infections and some types of cancer.As the virus destroys and impairs the function of immune cells, infected individuals gradually become immunodeficient.Immune function is typically measured by CD4 cell count.

Immunodeficiency results in increased susceptibility to a wide range of infections, cancers and other diseases that people with healthy immune systems can fight off.The most advanced stage of HIV infection is Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which can take from 2 to 15 years to develop depending on the individual.AIDS is defined by the development of certain cancers, infections, or other severe clinical manifestations.

The symptoms of HIV vary depending on the stage of infection.Though people living with HIV tend to be most infectious in the first few months, many are unaware of their status until later stages.The first few weeks after initial infection, individuals may experience no symptoms or an influenza-like illness including fever, headache, rash, or sore throat.

As the infection progressively weakens the immune system, an individual can develop other signs and symptoms, such as swollen lymph nodes, weight loss, fever, diarrhoea and cough.Without treatment, they could also develop severe illnesses such as tuberculosis, cryptococcal meningitis, severe bacterial infections and cancers such as lymphomas and Kaposi's sarcoma, among others. (UNI)