World AIDS Day, designated on 1 December every year since 1988, is an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection and mourning those who have died of the disease.

In 2016, a campaign was started to rename World AIDS Day to World HIV Day, putting the emphasis on social justice issues and the advancement of treatments.

Today, medical advances have come on leaps and bounds, and ending HIV transmission in the UK is finally within sight.

The first step is understanding … Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus which causes damage to the immune system. Your immune system protects you from illnesses and infections. Early diagnosis and starting treatment means someone with HIV can stay well and live a normal lifespan.

Undetectable = Untransmissable (U = U)

The viral load is the amount of HIV in the body. It is measured by a blood test in copies/ml and can range from over 1,000,000/ml (very high) to fewer than 20/ml (undetectable).

An undetectable viral load does not mean there is no HIV present or that it has been cured – HIV is still there but at levels too low for the laboratory test to pick up.

If someone is on effective HIV treatment and has an undetectable viral load it has been scientifically proved that they cannot pass on HIV.

The red ribbon is the universal symbol of awareness and support for people living with HIV. Wearing a ribbon is a great way to raise awareness on and during the run up to World AIDS Day.

The answer to the question in the title is actually in the question itself: The World Health Organisation (WHO) chose 1 December to mark World AIDS Day.