The Friday Five – Today is World AIDS Day
Follow and join the conversation with #WorldAIDSDay2017 and #WAD2017.
Since 1988 World AIDS Day has been celebrated every year on December 1st. WAD is dedicated to raising awareness about the pandemic and mourning those who have died from the disease. This week’s Friday Five highlights the progress that has been made in the fight against HIV and AIDS, some organizations who are continuing the fight and the latest facts and information about the disease and the strain it puts on the economy of the United States each year.
Message from Ambassador Deborah L. Birx on WAD 2017
Ambassador Deborah L. Birx is the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and U.S. Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy at the U.S. Department of State. In her message about World AIDS Day, Ambassador Birx discusses this year’s theme : Increasing Impact Through Transparency, Accountability, and Partnerships. Maybe more importantly she notes, “We are at an unprecedented moment in the HIV/AIDS response. For the first time in modern history, today we have the tools to change the very course of a pandemic by controlling it without a vaccine or a cure.”
On the blog, @PEPFAR Ambass. Deborah L. Birx looks ahead to #WAD2017: https://t.co/uYbtxH7Eey
— HIV.gov (@HIVGov) November 1, 2017
PEPFAR Results Reach Historic Highs
The United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (@pepfar) has a lot of good news to report regarding their ongoing initiative to help save the lives of those at risk from HIV/AIDS around the world. Just ahead of World AIDS Day, PEPFAR released its latest results and also shares its Strategy for Accelerating HIV/AIDS Epidemic Control (2017-2020).
Just released! @PEPFAR latest global results: 15.2M voluntary medical male circumcisions supported; 13.3M men, women, and children on #lifesaving #treatment; 2.2M babies born #HIVfree. See our press release: https://t.co/OA8aX2I36D pic.twitter.com/hBawi2DdPJ
— PEPFAR (@PEPFAR) November 30, 2017
Secretary’s Minority AIDS Initiative Fund
The Secretary’s Minority AIDS Initiative Fund (#SMAIF) improves HIV prevention, care, and treatment for racial and ethnic minorities through innovation, systems change, and strategic partnerships and collaboration. Currently, in the United States, there are 1.1 million people living with HIV and almost 3 out of 4 new HIV diagnoses are among racial and ethnic minorities. HIV is still a major problem in the U.S., and racial and ethnic minorities bear the greatest burden. Join SMAIF in the fight against HIV by reading and sharing the organization’s growing collection of stories highlighting SMAIF in Action.
#WAD2017 is Friday, December 1st! Get started by learning more about #SMAIF: https://t.co/H1rtKscTuz pic.twitter.com/vEPWfz1KqC
— HIV.gov (@HIVGov) November 28, 2017
2017 HIV/AIDS Statistics – Facts on Rates, Cost & More
While huge strides have been made in the battle against AIDS, according to WalletHub (@wallethub), AIDS still claims far too many lives. And HIV is still far too costly, increasing the average patient’s health care costs by roughly 120% and draining billions from the U.S. economy each year. To help build awareness for this important cause, WalletHub put together an infographic filled with HIV/AIDS factoids and consulted a panel of experts about the disease’s various costs.
#WorldAIDSDay is Dec. 1. So make a point to learn more about this disease that’s costing us so much: https://t.co/iUk9Ae6bUy pic.twitter.com/cqbEh0tze4
— WalletHub (@wallethub) November 27, 2017
Shop (RED), Save Lives
(RED) (@RED) was founded in 2006 by Bono and Bobby Shriver to harness the power of people and companies to help fight AIDS. According to Bono, “At (RED), we want to change the world and we want to have fun at the same time.” Anyone can easily support the cause simply by shopping at some of your favorite retailers and companies. This year (RED) has partnered with Amazon where you can find hundreds of gift options to support the campaign and as an added bonus, Bank of America will donate another $0.30 for every dollar spent on (Red) Amazon until December 31. In addition to Amazon, (Red) has also teamed up with Omaze this year giving supporters the opportunity to win various once-in-a-lifetime celebrity experiences and exclusive merchandise. Donate just $10.00 and you buy yourself a chance to win a celebrity experience like playing a round of mini golf with U2 or hanging with Reese Witherspoon. Jimmy Kimmel kicked off the campaign on a recent show with Bono and an all-star cast.
SHOP @RED SAVE LIVES with @Amazon at https://t.co/QWlBLqLiu0. @JimmyKimmel @IMKristenBell @BryanCranston @Aplusk @RitaWilson & @DJKhaled show you how! #SHOPATHON
— (RED) (@RED) November 29, 2017
