TEHRAN – A national HIV testing campaign, organized by the health ministry, is being held for a month, starting from November 11, across the country.

Titled ‘I will take HIV test, too’, the campaign aims to increase HIV testing uptake in key populations through increasing the capacity of testing centers, as well as reducing stigma and expanding universal access to HIV education and diagnosis, the health ministry reported.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) occurs at the most advanced stage of infection.

HIV targets the body’s white blood cells, weakening the immune system. This makes it easier to get sick with diseases like tuberculosis, infections, and some cancers.

According to the latest report,  a total of 41,059 individuals are infected with HIV in the country, of which 25,870 have been definitively registered. The gap indicates that some of the infected people have not yet been identified, and there is a need for active HIV detection in the country, Mehr news agency reported.

By age group, in the Iranian year 1403 (March 2024 – March 2025), people aged 20 – 45 accounted for 73 percent of the diagnosed cases. Those people aged 45 and above, as well as those under 20, represented 24 percent and 3 percent, respectively.

The commemoration of World AIDS Day takes place on  December first under the theme ‘Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response’, calling for sustained political leadership, international cooperation, and human-rights-centred approaches to end AIDS by 2030.

After decades of progress, the HIV response stands at a crossroads. Life-saving services are being disrupted, and many communities face heightened risks and vulnerabilities. Yet amid these challenges, hope endures in the determination, resilience, and innovation of communities that strive to end AIDS.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), HIV remains a major global public health issue, having claimed an estimated 44.1 million lives to date. Transmission is ongoing in all countries globally.

An estimated 40.8 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2024, 65 percent of whom are in the WHO African Region.

In 2024, an estimated 630,000 people died from HIV-related causes, and an estimated 1.3 million people acquired HIV.

There is no cure for HIV infection. However, with access to effective HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care, including for opportunistic infections, HIV infection has become a manageable chronic health condition, enabling people living with HIV to lead long and healthy lives.

In 2024, of all people living with HIV, 87 percent knew their status, 77 percent were receiving antiretroviral therapy, and 73 percent had suppressed viral loads.

MT/MG