World AIDS Day: Overcome disruptions, transform the response to AIDS
The theme for World AIDS Day, observed globally on December 1, 2025, is “Overcome disruptions, transform the response to AIDS,” according to the Collective Prevention Service (CPS).
World AIDS Day, celebrated every year on December 1, is an important global initiative that unites people in the fight against HIV/AIDS, shows support for those living with the virus, and honors those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses.
The day provides an essential moment for governments, health organizations, and communities to renew their commitment to achieving UNAIDS’ goal: eliminating AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
One of the main objectives for World AIDS Day 2025 is to accelerate efforts to reach the ambitious 95-95-95 targets:
• 95% of people living with HIV/AIDS should know their status,
• 95% of those diagnosed with HIV should receive continuous antiretroviral therapy (ART),
• and 95% of people on ART should achieve viral suppression.
CPS encourages the community to stay informed about the latest developments related to AIDS and HIV. This is why the topic is included in its annual health observance calendar.
Achieving viral suppression is essential, as it means the virus becomes undetectable and cannot be sexually transmitted (undetectable = untransmittable).
This scientific foundation has fundamentally changed the medical and social landscape of HIV/AIDS, allowing people living with HIV to lead long and healthy lives while preventing new infections.
Awareness campaigns on the day itself will place significant emphasis on the importance of getting tested, starting treatment immediately, and understanding that modern ART is the most effective prevention tool.
Finally, the commemoration serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing need to combat stigma and discrimination. Despite major medical progress, social stigma remains a major barrier that prevents many from getting tested or continuing treatment due to fear of judgment, exclusion, or loss of trust.
World AIDS Day is a call to action to promote better understanding and acceptance within society. By encouraging open dialogue, celebrating the resilience of people living with HIV, and advocating for inclusive policies, we can remove the remaining non-medical barriers to ending the epidemic and ensure public health and social wellbeing reach everyone, everywhere.
In 2024, around 40.8 million people were living with HIV globally. Approximately 630,000 people died in 2024 from HIV-related causes, and an estimated 1.3 million people contracted HIV that same year.