Thirty years ago, being HIV positive was a virtual death sentence. There was no effective treatment. AZT, also known as Zidovudine—one of the earliest anti-HIV drugs—was approved in the US in 1987, but it took many years before life-saving three-drug therapy was discovered in 1996, and access to these drugs then made widely available for people living with HIV.
This first day of December marks the 30th anniversary of World AIDS Day — and a good opportunity to reflect on how much has changed.
Today, people living with HIV can live much longer, healthier lives. In fact, life expectancy of people living with HIV in high-income countries is very close to that of people without HIV. Early diagnosis and one-pill-a-day treatment can suppress the virus and allow the body’s immune function to recover.
Rapid tests for HIV — which can be conducted by community workers or people at home — make it easier for people to be tested and access the care they need. We have pre-exposure prophylaxis, which allows people at risk of HIV to protect themselves from HIV infection by taking medications.
And further improvements are on the way. For instance, we hope soon to have long-acting injectable medications, so that instead of daily medicines, people living with HIV will only need a single shot every two or three months.
Thirty years ago, these developments were almost unimaginable.
But challenges remain. Globally, more than 1.8 million people are newly infected every year with the virus. In some countries, new HIV infections are increasing among key populations, such as men who have sex with men, sex workers, and people who inject drugs. We do not have a vaccine, and there is still no cure. Alas, if people living with HIV stop taking medications, the virus can again become active in their bodies.
Too many people with HIV are still not receiving life-saving treatment. Health systems must be strengthened so that everyone can access care in line with the global goal of universal health coverage that all countries have pledged to achieve. Governments must maintain commitment and sustain funding. We must continue fighting stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.
We can all be proud of what has been achieved. Without the incredible effort and passion demonstrated by people living with HIV, governments, civil society, scientists, health workers, international organizations and many others, such achievements would not have been possible.
Looking forward, we must reaffirm our commitment to ensuring universal access to HIV-related services, including prevention, testing and treatment, sexual and reproductive health, and harm reduction.
Thirty years from now, World AIDS Day should be a day to commemorate a historic achievement: ending AIDS for good.