The world has witnessed the havoc created by HIV/AIDS since it began to appear in the 80s. While we have made enormous strides in restricting this disease, as the global number of infections has significantly reduced by 32 percent in the past decade, there is still a long way to go.

Why HIV/AIDS is a cause of concern in other parts of the world?

The global infections have significantly reduced, but the MENA region, despite the lowest HIV burden, has witnessed a 33 percent increase in infections in the past decade. MENA, along with parts of Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America, is still seeing a rise in HIV.

World AIDS Day 2022: ‘Phir Milenge’, ‘My Brother Nikhil’ Shattered Stereotypes, Spread Awar...

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World AIDS Day 2022: ‘Phir Milenge’, ‘My Brother Nikhil’ Shattered Stereotypes, Spread Awareness

About 37.9 mn people across the world are living with HIV, says the World Health Organization. Despite the innovation in medical science, many are still hesitant to talk about it, fearing castigation. On World AIDS Day 2022, here’s a look at some films that have tried to dispel the stigma associated with AIDS.

World AIDS Day 2022

'Phir Milenge'

Released in 2004, ‘Phir Milenge’ is a Hindi film directed by Revathi. Inspired by the plot of the Hollywood film ‘Philadelphia’, this movie stars Shilpa Shetty, Salman Khan and Abhishek Bachchan in the lead roles.

Struggle For Justice

‘Phir Milenge’ follows the story of Tamanna, whose life turns upside-down after discovering that she and her old flame Rohit Manchanda are diagnosed with HIV. After losing her job for being HIV positive, she decides to seek justice with the help of lawyer Tarun Anand, played by Bachchan Jr.

‘68 Pages’

Directed by Sridhar Rangayan, ‘68 Pages’ was released in 2007. It starred Mouli Ganguly, Jayati Bhatia, Zafar Karachiwala, Joy Sengupta and Uday Sonawane in key roles.

The problem is caused due to several reasons, but the major ones include insufficient awareness and lasting stigma. As per Dr Rizk, the MENA region lacks precise scientific information about HIV. The team from a primary news channel surveyed several people on the streets of Cairo and Beirut, and more than half responded that they did not know much about HIV/AIDS.

Regarding stigma, in the latest report prepared by United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, only 50 percent of people with HIV were taking the treatment. The numbers are even lower when it comes to women and children.

FAQs:

What is the average survival time without HIV treatment?
The average survival time after infection is 11 years.
How much money Gates Foundation has pledged to donate for a global cure for AIDS?
The Gates Foundation and the National Institutes of Health have pledged to donate $200 million to develop a global cure for AIDS.

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World Aids Day: Why the Middle East still struggles to tackle HIV?

HIV cases worldwide have significantly decreased over the past decade. However, in the middle east, the cases of HIV are increasing with the lowest rate of treatment coverage globally.