KUWAIT CITY, Nov 30: Welcome to World AIDS Day - the international day of action on HIV/AIDS which takes place every year on Dec 1. Observed worldwide on Dec 1, since 1998, World AIDS Day is the moment of the year where millions of people come together across the globe to commemorate people who lost their lives to HIV, applaud progress made in responding to the epidemic and recommit to ending the epidemic. The World AIDS Campaign connects and strengthens AIDS campaigns from around the world. AIDS Day is about people getting the facts about HIV/AIDS. It is a day for people to get involved and there are many ways in which you can do so. Through a collaborative approach, the campaign brings together diverse voices with the goal of holding world leaders and governments to account for their promises on AIDS.

The day is an opportunity for public and private partners to spread awareness about the status of the pandemic and encourage progress in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in high prevalence countries and around the world.

“Getting to Zero” is the theme selected by the World AIDS Campaign (WAC) to commemorate this year’s World AIDS Day on 1st December. The new theme, that will be used until 2015, echoes the UNAIDS vision of achieving “Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths.” The decision to choose “Getting to Zero” as the theme came after extensive consultations among people living with HIV, health activists and civil society organizations.

According to recent report (Nov 22, 2011) by Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) an estimated 34 million people globally were living with HIV/AIDS at the end of 2010. Last year, 2.7 million became infected with the disease, while 1.8 million died from AIDS-related illnesses. Deaths from AIDS-related illnesses decreased by 21 percent since 2005, while new infections were reduced by 21 percent since 1997. These numbers show that new infections and deaths have fallen to the lowest levels since the peak of the epidemic.

Reliable data on HIV epidemics in the Middle East and North Africa remain in short supply, making it difficult to track trends with confidence. According to UNAIDS data, an estimated 460,000 people were living with HIV in the Middle East and North Africa at the end of 2009, up from 180,000 in 2001. The number of new HIV infections in the region increased from 36,000 in 2001 to 75,000 in 2009. AIDS-related deaths in the region rose from 8,300 in 2001 to 23,000 in 2009.

HIV testing has been available in Kuwait since 1984. Screening high risk groups for HIV has been a continuous process and are under constant surveillance. In Kuwait during the year 2010, a total of 135 new cases of HIV positive were found. Out of these 135 cases, 84 cases were new-comers to Kuwait whose residency was not stamped and have already left Kuwait to their respective countries. Regarding antiretroviral drugs, Kuwait is one of the countries in GCC States which provides all the genuine drugs (100%) for treatment of HIV/AIDS patients free of charge. All the latest genuine drugs used in United States and Europe are available for treatment of AIDS patients in Kuwait. Testing of all blood and blood products has been introduced since 1984. There is 100% testing of all blood and blood products at the Central Blood Bank prior to transfusion in Kuwait. Since 1976 Kuwait has not imported any blood or blood products.

Kuwait fully recognizes the significance of World AIDS day theme. AIDS prevention merits high on priorities given by National AIDS Control Committee and extensive efforts have been underway to banish ignorance and reach public through mass media in spreading knowledge about AIDS prevention, and the ways to avoid risk. Messages are being broadcast to advance peoples understanding and awareness of AIDS, encouraging them to exercise caution and care. Keeping in mind that this problem belongs to all of us, we need to join hands in commitment to do all we can to protect ourselves, our family and stop the spread of this disease. Through this campaign I want to stress the responsibility of both men and women. We have to recognize that women are very often the force that binds families and community groups, and hence they are a source of great strength in the face of HIV and AIDS. Consequently, empowering women to protect them from AIDS and its consequences is actually a way of protecting children, men and whole community against the epidemic. Kuwait has included pre-marital HIV testing a pre-requisite for marriage.

On this World AIDS Day I make an appeal to government and policy makers to ensure they meet the targets they have agreed to in the fight against HIV and AIDS. We all need to share the responsibility. We have to know our roles and practice them. Family members, community leaders, teachers, workers, religious leaders, professionals, students, health workers, governmental and private health sectors and last but not least the people living with HIV/AIDS themselves should join hands and they all have a role to play in defeating this deadly disease.