Pictured Left: "This is what HIV-Positive looks like now." - Billy Porter, actor, singer, author
Pictured Right: Timothy Stone, center, an HIV patient at UCSF's Ward 86, holds hands with boyfriend Luis Reyes, left, during AIDS Walk in San Francisco.
Since 1988, World AIDS Day has been observed annually on December 1, with the purpose of honoring and remembering the millions of lives lost from the epidemic and to bring attention to HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)/AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), and those currently living with the virus. We are now two weeks past December 1, with this year marking 40 years since the first five cases of what later became known as AIDS, was officially reported.
The reality is that HIV is still a threat to human health. While there have been tremendous advancements in tools, treatments and best practices, thanks to the dedication and contributions of health experts around the world, the biggest threat to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic are the structural inequalities that obstruct proven solutions to HIV prevention and treatment. With the anniversary of World AIDS Day, and the recent challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all urged to reflect on underlying social injustices that must be addressed in order to effectively overcome any health crisis that we face locally and abroad.
