Today, March 10th, is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

The 2017 theme is The Best Defence Is a Good Offence.

Around a quarter of people living with HIV in the U. S. are women. Most HIV diagnoses in women are attributed to heterosexual sex. The annual number of HIV diagnoses among women has declined in recent years.

Today, on March 10 National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, sponsored by the Office of Women’s Health of the Department of Health and Human Services is observed to recognize the impact of HIV on women and girls. The goals of this event are to raise awareness about the need for all women, especially pregnant women, to be tested and treated for HIV.

Through its high-impact prevention approach, in the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working with state and local partners throughout the United States to identify and implement the most cost-effective and scalable interventions in the geographic areas and populations most affected by HIV.