World AIDS Day

WHEREAS, HIV/AIDS continues to have a global impact with an estimated 34 million people, including 2.7 million children, living with HIV/AIDS, while over 1.8 million have died worldwide; and

WHEREAS, HIV/AIDS continues to be a primary health concern in the United States, with over 1.2 million Americans living with HIV/AIDS, 50,000 new cases occurring annually, one in five Americans are unaware of their infection; and

WHEREAS, in Alabama, there have been 17,839 cases of HIV/AIDS reported since 1982 and there are an estimated 11,342 people currently living with HIV/AIDS in the state; and

WHEREAS, combating this global epidemic requires a renewed and unified worldwide, national and local effort; and

WHEREAS, “Getting to Zero,” the World AIDS Campaign theme for World AIDS Day 2012, aims to reduce new HIV infections, discrimination, and AIDS related deaths to zero; and

WHEREAS, the fight against HIV/AIDS will only be won through increased advances and equal access to HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care; and

WHEREAS, Alabamians are encouraged to educate themselves about the risks of HIV, know their HIV status through testing, manage their health care, demonstrate compassion for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, so that all citizens can live their best life.

WHEREAS, World AIDS Day was first observed on December 1, 1988, and has a special place in the history of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in bringing messages of compassion, hope, solidarity and understanding about HIV/AIDS to every country in the world:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim December 1, 2012 as

World AIDS Day

in the state of the Alabama.