World AIDS Day has been commemorated on December 1 since 1988 and was proclaimed by the World Health Organization. The Ministry of Health (Minsa) reported that more than 6 thousand cases of HIV have been registered in the country from January to October 2024 and 47% of that total are between 15 and 29 years of age.
LOOK: Santa Rosa Hospital offers free HIV screening campaign
Meanwhile, AIDS, when the immune system is severely damaged by the virus and is exposed to serious illnesses, 33% of reported cases are also between 15 and 29 years old in the same period of time.
However, the social manager of Apropo (free counseling organization), Constanza Paredes, warned that HIV increased by 141% and AIDS by 99%. “The cases in the first half of 2024 already exceed the trends of previous years,” told Agencia Andina.
Every December 1, campaigns are carried out to raise awareness among residents about the impact of the disease and how to prevent HIV, an infection that does not discriminate.
The specialist highlights that HIV and AIDS are not the same. HIV is a virus that damages the immune system and AIDS occurs when the immune system is severely damaged by the virus and is exposed to developing diseases.
LIMA LEADS
The places with the highest cases of infection are led by LimaLoreto and Amazonas. Four out of every 10 people with HIV live in Lima and five out of every 10 people with AIDS live in Lima.
MORE MEN
However, 76% of new cases of HIV infection correspond to men, while 23.4% correspond to women. So.
“It can take between 8 to 10 years after acquiring HIV without receiving treatment for us to develop AIDS”said Paredes.
The Ministry of Health offers free HIV screening testscompletely confidential, as well as the medication required to confront the infection early and stay healthy throughout life.
