National Black HIV/AIDS Awarness Day: History, Significance

World AIDS Day is celebrated in all the countries on December 1 every year. Then what is National Black HIV/AIDS Awarness Day? and how is it different than World Aids Day?

HIV or AIDS was first diagnosed in 19th Century, when itspread was more among the black communities and especially in Africa. After which HIV/AIDS kind of stuck to the community and some people became stereotypical about HIV and black community by unnecessarily linking them with each other.

After 90th black communities did great progress in reducing HIV and also became successful to curb the spread of the virus. Still awareness about the disease was very less. Also racism, discrimination stopped them from reaching to the health care system.

Also availability of proper health care system was very less in African countries and especially among black community. To reduce this discrimination and create more awareness about HIV/AIDS among black community, National Black HIV/AIDS Awarness Day was observed first time on 7th February.

NBHAAD aims to increase HIV education, testing, community involvement and treatment among black communities.

Numbers analysis about Black community and HIV

In 2017, 43 percent (16,694) of new HIV diagnosed was among , African Americans. But after 2016, HIV diagnosed decreased 12% among blacks/African Americans. But numbers didn't drop drastically.

An estimated 468,800 blacks/African Americans had HIV in 2015. Among all African Americans living with HIV in 2015, 85 percent had received a diagnosis, 60 percent received HIV medical care, 46 percent were retained in HIV care, and 46 percent had a suppressed viral load.

Sixty percent (10,070) of African Americans who received an HIV diagnosis were gay or bisexual men and majority of them were from black community.

Many people had HIV in African American communities. They had risk of spreading the virus if they have sex with partners of the same race/ethnicity.

There was a lack of awareness and also lack of health care facilities among the community. Which has changed over several years but the risk is same.

Hence on this day different awareness programs are arranged and also information of various health care facilities is given to the people infected with HIV.