WORLD AIDS DAY

December the 1st, every year, marks World AIDS Day. This year the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) has been mainly focusing on bridging the gaps that have been identified in order to end the pandemic. This includes accelerating efforts for Key Affected Populations (KAPs) - which is those most vulnerable and likely to be exposed to HIV–such as Men who have sex with men (MSM), People who inject drugs (PWID), Transgender people and Sex workers (SWs). According to UNAIDS this will mean bringing together science and human rights based approaches as a global agenda. As a way forward towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UNAIDS says new and innovative approaches are required in order to accelerate efforts and achieve goals more significantly. Detailed in the On the Fast-Track to end AIDS by 2030: Focus on location and population" report, UNAIDS now aims to focuses on the locations, populations and programmes that deliver the greatest impact. According to this report, around 2 million people have become infected with HIV in 2014 and 1.2 million people have died of AIDS-related illnesses in the same period. Though some strides have been attained with over 15 million people living with HIV now accessing antiretrovirals (ARV), which is up from 13.6 million in June 2014.Meanwhile in South Africa, a growing HIV pandemic continues to rise and the need to raise awareness, accelerate progress in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care remains a critical priority. According to UNAIDS data, 6.8 million people were living with HIV in 2014, compared to the 6.4 million recorded by Human Sciences Research Council's report in 2012.In response to the epidemic and the rate of new infections annually, the National Department of Health has thus implemented various programmes in the fight against HIV/AIDS. To discuss the situation further, we have :Vimbai Mavhereduzi: Member of the I want to know my status, an organization made of Zimbabwe Exiles from South Africa Professor Glenda Grey: President of the South African Medical Research Council: Florence Ngubeni-Allen: Global Advocate: Elizabeth Glasser Paediatric Foundation: