World AIDS Day

2023 marks the 35th year where nations celebrate World AIDS Day. This year, it is commemorated with the theme ‘World AIDS Day 35: Remember and Commit’. Since 1988, communities locally, nationally and internationally have stood together on this day to show solidarity against stigma and remember those lives lost.

The world has witnessed significant progress in addressing HIV/AIDS thanks to advances in medical research, increased access to treatment and prevention, and a broader understanding of the virus. During this time, there has also been a tremendous global advocacy community which has united to take on challenges and hold institutions to account for ensuring access to these advances.

The number of HIV diagnoses in England increased by 22% from 3118 in 2021 to 3805 in 2022. Most of this increase is attributed to people previously diagnosed abroad, a 69% increase from 805 in 2021 to 1361 in 2022. These infections were likely acquired abroad and therefore do not reflect a rise in transmission in England. In the UK, there were 688 deaths and 167 cases of AIDS at diagnoses in people with HIV in 2022. This marked a decrease in recorded deaths from 826 in 2021, and a decrease from the 187 cases of AIDS at diagnoses in 2021 (UK Health Security Agency, 2023).