The International AIDS Memorial Day has been observed since 1983, when a small group of people personally affected by the issue in San Francisco, USA, first organised events to draw attention to a new, then little-known disease.

The International AIDS Memorial Day has been observed since 1983, when a small group of people personally affected by the issue in San Francisco, USA, first organised events to draw attention to a new, then little-known disease. Subsequently, this movement was supported in many countries. The Memorial Day has a long history filled with grief, loss, and undoubtedly, hope that humanity will eventually conquer this disease.

Today, this day serves as a call to society and individuals to pay attention to the problems associated with HIV infection and to contribute to achieving the global goal of making HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support services accessible to all who need them.

Many years ago, an HIV diagnosis sounded like a death sentence: humanity faced a new disease that was quickly diagnosed, but for a long time, there was no effective treatment. Today, thanks to the advancements in modern medicine, people living with HIV have the opportunity to maintain their quality of life for many years, just like people without HIV infection.

According to World Health Organization statistics, approximately 40 million people are currently living with HIV worldwide, and since the beginning of the epidemic, over 40 million people have died from HIV-related illnesses.

In the Republic of Belarus, 25,154 people are living with HIV. Since 1987, over 10,000 people have died. The largest number of new cases are registered among men and women aged 30 to 49, with sexual transmission being the predominant route of HIV transmission, accounting for over 80% of all registered cases.

Significant progress has been made in identifying patients with HIV infection and achieving treatment effectiveness over the past 5 years; HIV therapy is provided free of charge to all patients in our country.

Timely detection of the virus provides an opportunity to fight for the quality and duration of life for each individual. In this regard, today

A call to action for HIV testing (self-testing) is being made. It is important to understand that for various reasons, a person may have been infected with HIV for a long time and, without even realizing it, transmit the infection to others, while simultaneously depriving themselves of the opportunity to receive timely medical care.

For people living with HIV who are taking antiretroviral drugs, the quality and duration of life are no different from those of people without HIV. However, many people diagnosed with HIV are afraid to seek medical attention or register at a medical institution, fearing disclosure. The reason for this fear is stigma and the expectation of a negative reaction from others.

To change society's negative attitude towards HIV infection and people living with a positive HIV status, a Unified Information Strategy on HIV infection has been implemented in Belarus since 2011, representing an innovative approach to providing information for preventive campaigns.

Today, as many years ago, the International Day of Remembrance of people who died from AIDS, proclaims the opportunity to demonstrate significant progress in prevention and treatment, as well as the readiness and desire to resist the further spread of HIV infection, and reminds us of those who have faced this disease over the years of the epidemic's development.

The red ribbon, pinned to the clothes of millions of people on our planet on this day, serves as a reminder that HIV infection knows no borders, and joint efforts and adequate actions can overcome unfounded prejudices and promote further progress in prevention.

State Institution "Lepel District Centre of Hygiene and Epidemiology"