Echoing the World Health Organization in their efforts to lead global progress towards the goal of “zero new AIDS infections, zero discrimination cases, and zero AIDS-related deaths”, various departments of the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC), under the Department of Health (DOH) and other related organizations led by DOH Minister Dr. Wen-Ta Chiu and five former directors distributed thousands of giant red ribbons nationwide to commemorate the World AIDS Day in joint declaration to fight against the disease.

Domestic AIDS prevention efforts focus on preventing the spread of disease among young people by promoting early HIV testing, access to treatment and care, and acceptance from the general public for those living with the disease. The campaign this year, “START screening, STOP AIDS,” was boosted by the support of the Ministry of Education, the Taipei City Health Bureau, and the Department of Education, including the next Health Director, Chun-Ren Shi, officials Po-Ya Chang, Shiing-Jer Twu, Chien-Jen Chen, incumbent Minister Wen-Ta Chiu, and this year’s AIDS Advocacy Ambassador, Tony Yang. Encouraging HIV-screenings, I-leader Pei-De Jia lead 1,076 students from KaiNan Vocational High School along with Standard Chartered International Commercial Bank to distribute the symbolic AIDS red ribbon on school grounds.
 
In addition to organizing rows of red ribbon, domestic businesses also took a more active role in advocating AIDS prevention. In preparation for the World AIDS Day on December 1, 7-11, part of the large President Chain Store Corporation, has their staff members wear red ribbons at all of its locations nationwide. Furthermore, the convenience store giant’s “7-11 Love the World” AIDS prevention campaign generated a large response from millions of its Facebook fans and for two weeks, 7-11s nationwide put up AIDS prevention posters on their doors. At Standard Chartered Bank, all 4,000 employees from its 88 branches wore red ribbons to advocate AIDS prevention and news anchors also sported the red ribbon on television for from November 29 to December 1 to bring awareness to the cause.

According to statistics compiled by Taiwan CDC, the rate of HIV infection is increasing in the younger population. At the end of October this year, there were 4,599 HIV positive individuals between 15 – 24 years-old, 56% or 2,565 of whom were infected only within the past five years. An analysis of risk factors revealed that 96% were infected through unsafe sex. The steady rise in HIV infections due to a practice as preventable as safe sex is unjustifiable and for this reason, the DOH has more actively collaborated with the Ministry of Education to educate young people about AIDS.

To help young people better understand AIDS and how to protect themselves from contracting the disease, Taiwan CDC also joined the VM Theatre Company to turn “Daylight” – the troupe’s play about living with AIDS – into an educational film to be screened at junior high and high schools, universities and on public television nationwide to raise awareness of AIDS prevention.

The “START screening, STOP AIDS” event featured musicals advocating AIDS prevention at Kai Nan Vocational High School. The VM Theatre company members and this year’s advocacy Ambassador, Tony Yang, performed with I-leader Jia-Pei De to advocate safe sex through skits, spreading the message that taking the initiative to care is the duty of good friends. Yang said he breaches the topic with his friends who are engaged in high-risk sexual activity with a playful reproach, “don’t go mad with fun!” and then insists that they get tested for HIV. He also encouraged attending students to live an emboldened life in their youth, yet treasure those prized years by avoiding unprotected sex.

Taiwan CDC also announced the results of the latest statistics that revealed 42.3% of those polled said they would feel uncomfortable if they stood next to a stranger with AIDS – 6.2% less than last year. However, the numbers remain the same if the stranger was replaced with an AIDS-infected neighbor or roommate. In terms of AIDS education, more than 20% of men hold false notions of people living the condition and an alarming 23.8% choose to be diagnosed through the dangerous method of donating blood, a 3.1% increase from last year. The poll also revealed that nearly half the male population (48.9%) first have sex and use a condom for the first time between the ages of 20 and 29. However, more than half of men surveyed – 50.7% - do not use condoms during intercourse. A sustained campaign to advocate condom use is imperative to educate the population about AIDS and safe sex (see attachment: 2012 AIDS prevention survey abstract).

Taiwan CDC has pledged to work tirelessly, using all channels possible, to curb the number of people with HIV and stem the rise of the disease among young people while promoting AIDS education. Again, Taiwan CDC reminds the public that HIV cannot be transmitted through hand-shaking, hugging, or general, non-sexual close contact. Through collaboration, Taiwan CDC hopes to raise AIDS awareness and erase discrimination against those living with the condition.