To once again commemorate the millions of people who have passed away since the beginning of the HIV epidemic, the 29th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial will be marked in Guadalajara on Sunday, May 20, with a procession from the Templo Expiatorio (Avenidas Enrique Diaz de Leon and Lopez Cotilla) to the Plaza Fundadores (behind the Teatro Degollado), starting at 7 p.m.
Held in 115 countries, the memorial is led by some 1,200 community organizations and coordinated by the Global Network of People living with HIV. The Guadalajara commemoration is organized by the NGO VIHas de Vida.
Coordinators say the memorial also serves as a community mobilization campaign to raise social consciousness about HIV and AIDS, helping to break down barriers of stigma and discrimination, and giving hope to new generations.
This year’s theme, “Promoting Health and Dignity Together,” aims to promote respect for the human rights of people living with HIV.
It’s been 27 years since the first person was diagnosed with HIV in the state of Jalisco. Since then almost 12,400 people have succumbed to the disease, which has claimed the lives of some 33 million worldwide.Drug cocktails now manage to significantly prolong the lives of most of those infected with the virus but discrimination still exists in Mexico, says Blanca Estela Estrada Moreno, technical secretary of Coesida (State Council for the Fight against AIDS). Around 3,000 HIV patients are currently receiving treatment in Jalisco, according to Coesida.
Much of the stigmatization of AIDS sufferers has to do with the enduring myths surrounding the disease. This lack of knowledge is evident in many families but also in some of the smaller health clinics in the state, notes Estrada.
Jalisco AIDS facts, figures
12,364 deaths
6,655 living with the disease
18% of those infected are female
64% are aged between 25 and 44
92% became infected through sexual transmission