World AIDS Day is observed on December 01 every year since 1988, to draw global attention to the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection and mourn those who have died of the disease.
World AIDS Day is one of the eleven official global public health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization (WHO). As of 2017, AIDS has killed between 28.9 million and 41.5 million people worldwide, and an estimated 36.7 million people are living with HIV, making it one of the most important global public health issues in recorded history.
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has made people focus on their health, lives and livelihoods. The pandemic has also showcased once again how health is interlinked with other critical issues, such as reducing inequality, human rights, gender equality, social protection and economic growth. With this in mind, this year the theme of World AIDS Day is “Global solidarity, shared responsibility”.