World AIDS Day is less than one month away, and in the spirit of “AIDS Is Not Over!”, this week we’re looking back at World AIDS Day (WAD) celebrations in 2008, when AHF committed to the global effort of testing one million people for HIV. The campaign spanned over 25 countries, exceeded its one-million-test goal by more than half a million, and identified over 61,000 positive results.
The ambitious “One Million Tests” campaign lasted an entire month, coinciding with WAD and holiday festivities. AHF spearheaded the effort and enlisted the help of many NGOs to provide tests at the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City in August that year. In India, Mexico, and Uganda, testers used a groundbreaking one-minute finger-stick blood serum test, which drastically reduced wait times for results and increased the number of clients accessing testing services.
Community health worker provides rapid HIV testing and counseling on-site
The 61,000 people who tested positive were immediately referred to treatment services and received education on sexually transmitted infections. This campaign model broke barriers by streamlining HIV testing and counseling, proving that mass mobilization of targeted groups is an effective way to reach those who would benefit from free HIV testing and counseling.
In 2008, it was estimated that 33 million people worldwide were living with HIV, yet only 3 million were receiving antiretroviral therapy. The vast majority of the remaining 30 million had never been tested for the virus. The “One Million Tests” campaign introduced AHF’s innovative testing model, aiming to close that gap by providing stigma-free, accessible services.
Participants march for the ‘One Million HIV Tests Campaign’ on World AIDS Day 2008
This monumental effort also inspired a documentary film titled If Not Now…, produced by AHF and Dream Out Loud Films, to document the dedicated work and spread the campaign’s critical ideas. Filming began in the lead-up to the campaign and concluded in 2009 with the campaign’s results. The documentary, which highlighted the planning, actions, and community impacts, debuted in six countries: Kenya, Uganda, Mexico, India, Estonia, and the United States, receiving a positive reception.
At World AIDS Day in 2008, AHF had 200,000 clients in care across 28 countries. This year, AHF celebrates its first World AIDS Day with over 2 million clients in care across 47 countries. We look forward to continuing to recognize and support the tireless work of our staff in AHF’s Test and Treat models that serve these clients worldwide.
Map of “Campaign Partners” flyer
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