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World AIDS Day is held on 1 December each year.

World AIDS Day raises awareness across the world and in the community about the issues surrounding HIV and AIDS. It is a day for people to show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died.

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a condition that can cause AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).

AIDS refers to the illnesses that can develop as a result of untreated HIV or in a person where current treatments have failed. It is not an interchangeable term with HIV.

In 2017 there were 963 new HIV diagnoses in Australia. Thanks to the success of anti-retroviral (ART) drugs, pre-exposure prophylaxis medication and the use of transmission-reducing safe sex and IV needle use people living with HIV in Australia may still develop AIDS, but this is now rare.

The folk at World AIDS Day Australia say that one way to support people living with HIV is to engage friends and family in a conversation about HIV. This will help increase understanding, decrease stigma and bust the myths around AIDS.

Click here to learn more about HIV and AIDS.