Today is World AIDS Day - "Getting to Zero"

World AIDS Day, observed 01 December each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. Every World Aids Day has a certain theme - this year's one is about "Getting to Zero". Backed by the United Nations, the "Getting to Zero" campaign will run until 2015.



The idea of the World Aids Day was conceived in August 1987 by James W. Bunn and Thomas Netter, who were both working as information officers for the Global Programme on AIDS at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Bunn and Netter took their idea to the Director of the Global Programme on AIDS (now known as UNAIDS) Dr. Jonathan Mann. He liked the concept, approved it, and agreed with the recommendation that the first observance of World AIDS Day should be 01 Dec 1988.