World day dedicated to the fight against AIDS: numbers, objectives and initiatives

Today, 1 December, the World Day dedicated to the fight against AIDS, the virus that attacks the immune system and from which 35 million people worldwide suffer from it, is celebrated today, still representing a concrete danger for humanity today.

Every year 4,000 new cases are registered in Italy and, according to the Higher Institute of Health, there are over a thousand deaths, a figure that represents the highest number in Western Europe.

Unprotected sexual intercourse still remains the leading cause of the contraction of the HIV virus, which affects men and women alike, with a higher incidence among the former. The average age for diagnosis is 39 years for men and 36 for women. The HIV test is done, in 41.9% of cases, when there are already symptoms of the virus; of this 27.6% choose to do so as a result of risky behavior, while 15% in cases of pregnancy and assisted procreation. In 2013, the regions with the highest incidence were Lazio, Lombardy and Piedmont, while the lowest figure belongs to Calabria.

Unaids, the UN organization that deals with AIDS confirms that unfortunately AIDS is not just a disease of the Western world: the most affected area in the world is in fact Sub-Saharan Africa, which in the past year alone registered a million and half of new HIV positive cases, of which 240,000 are children Unaids has set itself the goal of having 15 million people in therapy by 2015.

The slogan chosen for 2014 is "Closing the gap in HIV prevention and treatment", that is, reduce the distance between prevention and treatment of AIDS. By 2020 the following goal is set, the 90-90-90 goal: that is, to give treatment to 90% of people with HIV, to allow 90% of HIV-positive people to be aware of their viral status and to reset the viral load for 90% of people in therapy.

One of the many initiatives in honor of the day is that of Durex, the famous condom brand that promotes the # 1share1condom initiative in favor of the Italian Red Cross Association. It is in fact with the aim of supporting the use of condoms and a preventive culture against sexually transmitted diseases that the brand chooses to promote the initiative by involving anyone who intends to use the web to "share" their support in the fight against HIV: for each user who will publish the chosen image on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram from Durex or simply post the hashtag # 1share1condom, Durex Italia will donate a condom to the Italian Red Cross for the activities they will carry out in the area on the occasion of the 2014 World AIDS Day.

The social commitment of Durex in supporting the spread of a sexual culture capable of generating a healthy and responsible couple's life is realized throughout the year in the Safebook by Durex project, which also thanks to the involvement of the Italian Red Cross goal to speak to the new generations. The brand involves over 12,000 lower secondary schools, addressing the middle and upper classes from all over Italy to promote proper education in affectivity and sexuality among the youngest.