World Aids Day on 1 December

World Aids Day is a day of solidarity with HIV-positive people and remembrance of those who have died of Aids. It has been celebrated every year on 1 December since 1988. The most important goals are non-discriminatory treatment and access to medical care for all people worldwide. In this context, the Office for Health and Prevention draws attention to its offer of anonymous and free counselling.

According to the Robert Koch Institute, 90,800 people were living with HIV in Germany at the end of 2021. According to UNAIDS, there were 39 million people worldwide in 2022.

HIV is now highly treatable, although not yet curable. Highly effective drugs prevent the virus from multiplying in the body. If diagnosed and treated in good time, HIV-positive people remain healthy and do not develop AIDS. HIV is not transmissible under therapy.

In an online survey, 90 per cent of respondents stated that they were living well with their HIV infection. Three quarters felt that their health was not or only slightly impaired. However, 95 per cent reported at least one discriminatory experience in the last twelve months due to HIV. 52 per cent stated that their lives were affected by prejudice.

Discrimination, rejection and fear of contact occur in all areas of life. Just under a quarter of respondents preferred not to share crockery or sports equipment with HIV-positive people, and a fifth were afraid to use the same toilet. Only half of the people surveyed would kiss an HIV-positive person they liked. However, HIV is not transmissible in any of these situations, not even during sex while on treatment.

The joint campaign by the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA), the German AIDS Service Organisation (DAH) and the German AIDS Foundation (DAS) on World AIDS Day encourages people to put their own knowledge to the test, become aware of their prejudices and correct them. Under the title "Living with HIV. Different than you think?", people with HIV talk about their lives and provide information to counter discrimination: http://www.welt-aids-tag.de/.

Thanks to the education and prevention programmes offered by Saxony's health authorities and AIDS service organisations, fewer people in Saxony are becoming newly infected with the virus. Nevertheless, the statistics for Saxony show a slight upward trend in new diagnoses overall, which can be attributed to people travelling from countries with higher infection rates.

The trend of declining case numbers does not apply to other sexually transmitted diseases, such as syphilis, hepatitis B or chlamydia. The number of syphilis cases is currently in the mid double-digit range per year, while the number of hepatitis cases is expected to be just under three figures this year. In mid-November, the number of chlamydia cases was already at the previous year's level (mid three-digit range). And: in the case of sexually transmitted diseases, there is usually at least one or two other people affected - the partner whose infection is not reported.

Important when interpreting the figures: The "metropolitan effect" comes into play because many people from the region tend to get tested in the anonymity of large cities. In addition, the number of cases is automatically higher at locations with initial reception centres due to the screening for infectious diseases.

For information, advice and, if necessary, tests, people can contact the advice centre at the Office for Health and Prevention of the City of Chemnitz. This applies to both HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The counselling services and, if necessary, tests are anonymous and free of charge.

The advice centre can be contacted by telephone on 488-5361 or by email at beratung.sexuelle.infektion(at)stadt-chemnitz.de.

Advice and help is also available from AIDS-Hilfe Chemnitz, telephone 415223 or

E-mail: info(at)chemnitz.aidshilfe.de