K. Hanumanthayya1, G. Balasubrahmanyam2, Jaidev Yadav3, Jaya Pathak4, Safia Tanyeem5
World AIDS Day was first conceived in August 1987, by James W Bunn and Thomas Netter, two public information officers for the Global programme on AIDS at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.
Bunn and Netter took their idea to Dr. Jonathan Mann, Director of Global Programme on AIDS, now known as UNAIDS. Dr. Mann liked the concept, approved it, and agreed with the recommendation that, the first observance of World AIDS day should be 1st December 1988.
The main aim of World AIDS Day was to educate common person on the road about all true facts and recent advances about HIV/AIDS.1 Doctors, NGOs on World AIDS Day organize school children parades, cultural programmes, road shows, conferences and meetings, with all means of IEC – Information, Education and Counselling activities. These activities bring down common person’s fear. They will be able to come not only forward for checkup and treatment but will also be able to encourage their family members and their friends to do so.
Dr. Jonathan Mann selected 1st December as World AIDS Day. He gave 3 reasons for selecting 1st December, 1) Easy to remember, like 1st, 15th, or 30th. 2) It is not coinciding with any nation’s day of celebrations. 3) It is not close to any long holidays. 1st December satisfied all three criteria1.
World Health Organization announces a theme about HIV/AIDS every year. Doctors deliver talks on HIV/AIDS using this theme and explaining all other facts about HIV/AIDS. World AIDS Day theme is chosen by the World AIDS campaign’s Global Steering Committee, after extensive consultation with people, organizations, and Government agencies involved in the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. The Global steering committee decides the World AIDS theme, once a year since 1988 till 2005.
However in 2005, the Committee decided to have one theme for the next 5 years, thus for 2005 to 2010 one theme was “STOP AIDS, KEEP PROMISES”. This overarching theme was designed to encourage political leaders to keep their commitment to achieve universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support by the year 2010.
