LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) marks World AIDS Day 2024 with the theme ‘’Til It’s Over,” calling on world leaders, public health institutions, and civil society to remain vigilant in the fight against HIV/AIDS. AHF events across nearly 50 countries will amplify the voices of those affected and highlight the urgent need for action to expand access to lifesaving prevention, care, and treatment. On Sunday, December 1st, AHF will run an outdoor digital advertising campaign across six countries: the United States, England, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands. The ad highlights AHF’s milestone of more than two million lives in care.
In Miami on Monday, December 2nd, multi-award-winning global star and philanthropist Ricky Martin will perform a full-length World AIDS Day concert at the Watsco Center at the University of Miami (UM) in Coral Gables, Florida. Renowned DJ and rapper DJ Spinderella also will perform, and AHF will present its Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Julio Frenk, UM’s outgoing president and chancellor-designate for UCLA.
Despite significant progress, AIDS still claims about 630,000 lives annually, with approximately 40 million people globally living with HIV—more than half of them women and girls—and 1.3 million new infections each year, according to UNAIDS. Stigma, discrimination, and systemic barriers still prevent many, especially key populations, from accessing essential care.
“The battle against AIDS has scored so many momentous victories since 1981 which makes it tempting to feel that we can rest. However, the last miles are always the toughest, and with more than 600,000 deaths a year and the number of people living with HIV increasing by more than one million a year, we must redouble our efforts to control HIV once and for all,” said Michael Weinstein, AHF cofounder and president.
“While HIV/AIDS competes for attention with so many other crises, we shouldn't forget that the 42 million people who died of AIDS and the 40 million who live with the disease are somebody's loved one.
“AHF soon will celebrate its 38th anniversary, having grown from a small local organization in Los Angeles to be the largest AIDS organization in the world through the hard work and determination of almost 8000 cherished employees. Today, more than 2.2 million patients have placed their trust in AHF all across the globe. We are up for the fight as long as we are needed.”
From marches and candlelight vigils to expert panels and advocacy meetings with officials, AHF’s domestic and global events will shine a light on critical challenges in the fight against HIV/AIDS, urging communities to continue addressing critical needs and nations to keep the issue front and center on public health agendas. Through these efforts, AHF teams will remind the world we need to keep fighting ‘Til It’s Over.
World AIDS Day remains a powerful platform to honor the progress achieved, remember those we have lost to AIDS-related illnesses and those who carry on the fight, and call on governments worldwide to commit the necessary resources and political will needed to end AIDS once and for all.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the world’s largest HIV/AIDS healthcare organization, provides cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to more than 2.1 million individuals across 47 countries, including the U.S. and in Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region, and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, visit us online at AIDShealth.org, find us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.