HIV: the goal is eradication

Since 1988, World AIDS Day (1 December) has been an essential platform for raising awareness about the HIV/AIDS epidemic, addressing its challenges and advocating for the rights and health of people living with HIV. Putting people first means considering solutions from the perspective of those most impacted (International AIDS Society, 2024). Over the decades, World AIDS Day themes have reflected the changing landscape of the epidemic, helping to galvanise global action, foster solidarity and ensure that the voices of those most affected by HIV/AIDS remain at the centre of the conversation. Themes call attention to the ongoing barriers faced by people living with HIV.

The World Health Organization (WHO) (2024) commemorates World AIDS Day 2024 under the theme ‘Take the rights path: my health, my right!’, calling on global leaders and citizens to support the right to health by addressing the inequalities that prevent progress in ending AIDS. Although medical advances have transformed HIV from a fatal disease to a manageable chronic condition, the stigma, discrimination and disparities in access to care persist. Nurses, as patient-facing healthcare providers, must continue to lead with empathy, advocacy and action.