HIV / AIDS first appeared 30 years ago, the idea of devoting a day to fight AIDS globally, was launched at the World Summit for Ministries of Health, 1988, choosing the day December 1 for being the date on which diagnosed the first AIDS case in 1981.

According to the Organization of the United Nations, AIDS has taken on epidemic proportions, dying the day 25 million people, more than 33 million people are currently infected with the virus worldwide, 70% live in Africa and most are children and women of the 50 million people in South Africa, some 5.7 million are infected with HIV, more than any other country in the world.

Thanks to antiretroviral drugs developed research product, now people with AIDS who are in treatment, live more, and his viral load has been diminished, which could help reduce the chances of passing HIV to others.

Among some progress in 2009, it can be mentioned, which was discovered a topical microbicide gel that can reduce the chances of HIV infection in African women at high risk by 30%, researchers from the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, said they discovered two antibodies the immune system that may be the target for vaccine research and powerful broad-spectrum in the future.

Despite progress in research for treatments to control the virus and under the mode of transmission is through exchange of bodily fluids including blood and genital secretions, global agencies related to AIDS, advocating prevention rather than fight it, through the use of condoms in all sexual relations, be they vaginal, anal or oral, but especially by educating those people whose development has been affected by this terrible epidemic.