NEW YORK, N.Y. — The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF), a global leader in the fight to end AIDS, commemorates World AIDS Day 2017 by honoring the 35 million lives lost to HIV/AIDS around the world, and urging world leaders to support the 36.7 million currently living with HIV/AIDS with necessary services and care.
This World AIDS Day, Elton John, founder of EJAF, issued the following statement:
“Thanks to the scientists and caregivers working around the globe, we’ve made significant headway in understanding the AIDS virus and how to overcome it. Yet there’s more work to be done. People around the world still lack access to treatment and prevention medicines, and experience discrimination based on their sexual orientation, gender or race. We need more love and compassion, access to resources, and support for those living with the virus. We also need to tear down the barriers to educational resources and adequate healthcare that prevent people from getting the help they need.”
David Furnish, Chairman of EJAF, issued the following statement:
“Today, on World AIDS Day, we stand in solidarity with those who are living with HIV or AIDS. Everyone, regardless of their race, geography, sexual orientation, gender identity or criminal background, should have access to life-saving HIV tests, treatment, and care. That’s why we continue to expand our investments in organizations that support populations who are most vulnerable to and most affected by HIV, including LGBT people of color, low-income communities, and those living in the U.S South. We will also continue to support LGBT advocacy and human rights efforts in countries where it is illegal to be LGBT. We can, and we must, end AIDS in our lifetime.”
