World AIDS Day 2022

World AIDS Day (WAD), celebrated yearly on December 1, brings attention to the HIV epidemic, by increasing awareness, speaking out against stigma, and calling for an increased response to move toward ending the epidemic in the U.S.

HIV or the human immunodeficiency virus continues to be a major global public health issue, having claimed 40.1 million lives so far. There were an estimated 38.4 million people living with HIV at the end of 2021, two thirds of whom (25.6 million) were in the African Region. In 2021, 650 000 people died from HIV-related causes, and 1.5 million people acquired HIV.

In 2021, region 9 (Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami Montgomery, and Preble counties), had 83 new HIV cases, and Montgomery County made up (60) of those cases. Looking at cumulative data from 2017-2021, region 9 had (2,009) AIDS cases.

HIV is spread by coming in contact with blood, semen, vaginal fluids, or breast milk of someone who has HIV infection. Most people who get HIV get it through anal or vaginal sex, or sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment. AIDS is the late stage of HIV infection, that occurs when the body’s immune system is very weak or badly damaged. There is no cure for HIV infection. However, with growing access to HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care, as well as for secondary infections, HIV infection has become a manageable chronic health condition, aiding people with HIV to lead long and healthy lives.

Montgomery County Health Commissioner Jennifer Wentzel states, “With proper care, people with HIV can lead long healthy lives, but stigma and discrimination often prevent them from getting the care they need.”

The theme for WAD 2022 is one word, “Equalize.” The Equalize slogan is a call to action to continue advancing proven everyday measures needed to address inequalities and help end AIDS.

These include:

• Increase availability, quality, and suitability of services, for HIV treatment, testing and prevention, so that everyone is well-served.
• Reform laws, policies, and practices to tackle the stigma and exclusion faced by people living with HIV and by key and marginalized populations, so that everyone is shown respect and is welcomed.
• Ensure the sharing of technology to enable equal access to the best HIV science, between communities and between the Global South and North.
• Communities will be able to make use of and adapt the “Equalize” message to highlight the disparities they face and to press for the actions needed to address them.

What is being done to end the HIV epidemic:

• HIV medications that are taken as prescribed can help individuals live longer healthier lives, maintain an undetectable level, thus presenting no risk of transmitting the virus sexually.
• Implementation of HIV care and prevention models that engage and retain patient in care. 
• Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a daily regimen proven to be highly effective in preventing HIV infection for individuals at high risk, reducing the risk of acquiring HIV by up to 97 percent.
• Syringe services programs (SSPs) dramatically reduce HIV risk and can provide an entry point for a range of services to help stop drug use, overdose deaths, and infectious diseases.
• New systems to pinpoint where HIV infections are spreading most rapidly so health officials can respond quickly with resources to stop the further spread of new transmissions.

Do you know your status? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following:

• All adults and adolescents from ages 13 to 64 should be tested at least once for HIV.
• All pregnant women should be tested for HIV along with other sexually transmitted infections.
• Sexually active gay and bisexual men may benefit from more frequent HIV testing (every 3 to 6 months).
• Anyone who has unsafe sex or shares injection drug equipment should get tested for HIV at least once a year.

The Ohio HIV/AIDS Prevention Committee of Region 9 (Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, and Preble Counties) is reminding you to know your HIV status by getting tested! Check out special WAD events listed under the many testing sites.

For more testing sites near you, call 800-CDC-INFO (232-4636), visit http://hivtest.cdc.gov, or, on your cell phone, text your ZIP code to KNOW IT (566948) or call 937.496.7133.