International AIDS Candlelight Memorial Day – 2026. Looking back, hoping forward

Every year on the third Sunday of May, the world remembers people who have died of AIDS. Significant progress has been made in combating HIV infection over the past decades. HIV infection in the modern world is no longer a death sentence, but has become a chronic manageable condition.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of scientists, doctors, public organizations, and people living with HIV themselves, results have become evident that offer hope for achieving the ambitious goal set in 2016 at the UN General Assembly – to end AIDS by 2030.

The key benchmark on this path is the "95-95-95" strategy.

In Belarus, in implementation of this strategy, the following indicators have been achieved (data as of January 2026):

96.3% (26,005 people) of the estimated number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) know their diagnosis;

94.3% (23,267 people) of those who know their diagnosis are receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART);

92.3% (21,483 people) of PLHIV receiving ART have a suppressed viral load.

Achieving this goal is not just about numbers: behind them are people who will live full lives and be able to realize their full potential.

Today, more than 26,000 people with a positive HIV status live in Belarus. Since 2018, antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been provided free of charge to all patients in our country, and now more than 23,000 people are receiving this treatment long-term and successfully. The number of deaths among HIV-positive patients has halved over the past decade due to the accessibility of treatment and prevention.

In the Vitebsk region, as of April 1, 2026, more than 1,500 people live with a positive HIV status, of whom more than 1,200 are receiving therapy.

Timely detection of infection and initiation of treatment is the first and important step towards maintaining a person's full life.

with HIV-positive status.

HIV testing is the only way to know if a person has an
HIV infection. Self-testing using rapid tests is an accessible tool for taking care of one's own health. In 2025, the proportion of sexual transmission of HIV was about 90%.

New, highly effective methods such as pre-exposure prophylaxis and post-exposure prophylaxis contribute to significant progress in prevention, allowing people, especially those at high risk of infection, to reduce the risk of infection
to a minimum.

Reliable information about modern achievements in prevention, transmission routes of infection, the importance of testing, and protection methods helps to form an adequate understanding of
HIV infection and reduce stigma against people living with this disease, contributing to the creation of a favorable environment for open dialogue and people's willingness to seek help.

The International Day of Remembrance of People who Died of AIDS was first held in
1983 in San Francisco, USA, on the initiative of the World Health Organization. This day remains a symbol of international solidarity and an opportunity to reflect on the path taken, assess achievements, and outline prospects for effective HIV infection prevention.

Remembering people who died of AIDS means seeing a person, not a diagnosis. It is a call for stigma to give way to understanding, and fear to support. Respect for memory is respect for every person's right to health and dignity without fear and judgment.

As part of the International Day of Remembrance of People who Died of AIDS, events will be held in all regions of Belarus in public urban spaces, institutions, and organizations.

Mass events, HIV testing promotion campaigns, and informational campaigns will also be held throughout the Vitebsk region in institutions, enterprises, and public spaces with the participation of executive committee departments, hygiene and epidemiology centers, healthcare institutions, and public organizations. Memorial services will be held in churches.

We invite all interested and concerned individuals to join the organization and holding of events dedicated to the International Day of Remembrance of people who died of AIDS.

 

Department of HIV Infection and AIDS Prevention

State Institution "Vitebsk Regional Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health"