When : May 18

Why : 

• To honour thousands of volunteers, health professional, community leaders and scientists who workers together to develop AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) vaccine
• The concept of AIDS Vaccine was rooted by the then US President Bill Clinton in his speech at the Morgan State University on May 18, 1997.

Details

• The World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1 every year
• Currently there are no licensed HIV vaccine in the market. However, medical treatments exist. Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) is recommended to control HIV infection. However, HAART must be taken lifelong. HIV virus mainly attacks the immune system of human body.
• The total number of HIV patients in India as of 2017 is 21.4 lakhs. However, the number of HIV cases have been declining in India. Between 1995 and 2017, the number of HIV cases in India declined by 85%.