In acknowledging the global and localized efforts to combat HIV/AIDS, Santa Clara County marks the 36th World AIDS Day on December 4, echoing the global observation on December 1 every year. This year's theme underscores the need for collective action to keep the momentum in HIV/AIDS prevention and care.
"World AIDS Day is an opportunity for us to both celebrate our progress in the fight against AIDS and take collective action in sustaining and accelerating prevention efforts," Sera Fernando, manager of the Office of LGBTQ Affairs for the County of Santa Clara, said. On this day, we honor the memory of those who passed and extend support to everyone living with the disease, according to the information shared by Santa Clara County's official announcement.
The county has seen an uptick in HIV diagnoses, returning to pre-pandemic levels, an increase likely attributed to the resumed testing that had been suspended during the height of COVID-19 restrictions, with the Public Health Department's most recent data showing a rate of 10.4 diagnoses per 100,000 people in 2023.
Key populations in Santa Clara County, particularly the Hispanic/Latino and African American/Black communities, are disproportionately affected by HIV. Dr. Akanksha Vaidya from the Public Health Department emphasized the significance of addressing these racial disparities and structural issues that influence higher rates of HIV infections in a comment reported by Santa Clara County's website.
