World AIDS Day: Take the rights path

World AIDS Day, commemorated annually on December 1 since 1988, is a global initiative to raise awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by HIV transmission.

This year's theme, "Take the rights path: My health, my right!" urges global leaders and citizens to champion the right to health by addressing the inequalities that impede progress in ending AIDS.

According to a new report from the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) released on November 26, about 39.9 million people worldwide were living with HIV in 2023, an increase of 900,000 compared to 2022. Despite advances in treatment, 9.3 million people still lack access to life-saving treatment, and the number of new HIV infections is rising in at least 28 countries.

A significant player in the global fight against HIV/AIDS, China has played a crucial role in shaping UNAIDS since its inception in 1996, said Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS executive director, during an interview with Xinhua.

According to the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, China has made substantial progress in controlling HIV transmission. Blood transfusion-related transmission has been virtually eliminated, and mother-to-child and injection drug-related transmissions have been effectively managed.

As of the end of June 2024, a total of 1.329 million people living with HIV were reported alive in China, and 474,000 deaths were reported, according to data released by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC). While the number of reported surviving cases continues to rise annually, the rate of new infections is declining. The overall AIDS epidemic in China is still at a low prevalence level.

How can we prevent HIV infection? Here are a few tips!

1. The public should actively learn about and understand HIV/AIDS prevention information.

2. Disease prevention and control institutions and medical institutions at all levels can conduct HIV testing.

3. Use condoms during sexual activity.

4. After engaging in unprotected sex, get tested for HIV and consult your local disease prevention and control institution or medical institution as soon as possible, preferably within 24 hours and no later than 72 hours.

5. If diagnosed with HIV, take precautions to prevent transmission to others and seek timely treatment.

(Cover image: A UNAIDS poster for World AIDS Day 2024. /courtesy of UNAIDS)

(Data editor: Chen Rong；Graphic designer: Jia Jieqiong)