World AIDS Day is celebrated every year on 1 December. This day serves as a reminder of the need to stop the global spread of HIV / AIDS. First proclaimed by WHO in 1988, so 2014 will be celebrated on December 1 in 26 times. The purpose of World AIDS Day is to raise awareness about HIV / AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the epidemic.

This day gives people around the world the opportunity to think about the fact that HIV infection and its consequences can affect everyone. Indeed, despite the changes in the epidemic (involvement in the spread of HIV socially advantaged sectors of society) and the emergence of new possibilities in medicine, can dramatically improve the quality and duration of life of HIV-positive patients in society persist extremely negative stereotypes of HIV infection.

All the activities that will take place on December 1 again allow to draw attention of the public and the authorities on the seriousness of the problem, to convey information on HIV prevention to the public, motivate to safe and responsible behavior, health maintenance. All this will contribute to progress in the prevention and treatment of HIV / AIDS, as well as the advancement of sick people in countries with a high prevalence of HIV and around the world.

HIV remains a global problem. Stop the spread of the epidemic has not yet succeeded. Compared with 2001 in the world were living with HIV increased by 17%. It is estimated that in the world 35 million people living with HIV.

Each World AIDS Day is held under the motto. This year the theme was the slogan of the \"narrow the gap!\":

- To reduce the gap to reduce to zero the number of new HIV infections

- To reduce the gap to reduce to zero the number of deaths due to AIDS

- Reduce the gap in treatment

- Reduce the gap in the field of HIV / TB

Division of HIV / AIDS

Minsk Oblast Center of Hygiene and Epidemiology