World wide there is thought to be over 40million people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). 60,000 of these live in the UK with over 7,000 more being diagnosed each year.

HIV is an incurable virus that damages the carriers’ immune system – the bodies’ defence against illness. Someone who has HIV is often said to be HIV-positive. Although there is no cure for HIV there are a number of drugs available in this country from the National Health Service (NHS) that can help someone who is HIV-positive from becoming ill.

When the immune system weakens, a person with HIV may develop rare infections or cancers that the body is unable to fight. When these are particularly serious, the person is said to have Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

World AIDS day is aimed at trying to raise the awareness of HIV and AIDS and to diminish the prejudice surrounding it. The red ribbon promise has been running for 16 years and is a way of raising awareness of HIV and AIDS to try to stop the prejudice, and to raise money to try to stop the spread of this preventable disease.

For more information on HIV, AIDS, or World AIDS Day, check out Youthoria's sexual health section or follow the related links at the top of this page.