Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is an incurable but preventable disease. It is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which is transmitted through sexual relations with an infected person, transfusions of infected blood, use of contaminated needles and syringes, and from infected mother to child through pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. HIV damages the body’s defensive system by disabling certain white blood cells that fight infection. All people are at risk from HIV and AIDS and all people can make a contribution to reducing that risk.
In Hong Kong, data released by the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health shows that the cumulative total of HIV infections reached 6342 by the fourth quarter of 2013. The record high number of cases has shown that AIDS is still a major public health concern to Hong Kong. According to UNAIDS (the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS), at the end of 2012 an estimated 34.3 million people were globally living with HIV; in 2012 there were 2.3 million new HIV infections and 1.6 million people died of AIDS-related illnesses.
The cases of HIV infections tend to be younger, according to the currently world's news, the HIV infections have occurred in almost half of the youth who are 10-24 year-old . There are 7,000 young people worldwide infected every day, and average of five young people infected with HIV every minutes.
The global theme for World AIDS Day from 2011-2015, as selected by the World AIDS Campaign, is “Getting to Zero.” Backed by the United Nations, the “Getting to Zero” campaign focuses on the goals of Zero New Infections, Zero Discrimination and Zero AIDS Related Deaths.
Today, many scientific advances have been made in HIV treatment, there are laws to protect people living with HIV and we understand so much more about the condition. But despite this, people do not know the facts about how to protect themselves and others from HIV, and stigma and discrimination remain a reality for many people living with HIV.
Therefore, through this competition, we aim to bring people from different walks of life, different sectors and backgrounds to combat HIV/AIDS and to create a non-discriminatory society for those who are living with the HIV.