SE Vegas News

To recognize World AIDS Day, the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign's lights were switched to red.

According to a news release shared by the Clark County government, Commissioner Tick Segerblom was joined by leaders of the Aid for AIDS of Nevada (AFAN) during the brief ceremony south of Russell Road.

“We want to demonstrate our support to those fighting this disease and what better way to do that than to turn the iconic Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign red in support of World AIDS Day,” Commissioner Segerblom, who also serves on the Board of Health for the Southern Nevada Health District, said in the release. “We also want to raise awareness of this issue and expand and strengthen the response to the worldwide effort to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and ultimately to find a cure.”

Commissioner Tick Segerblom and representatives from Aid for AIDS of Nevada | Clark County, Nevada/Facebook

Dec. 1 is recognized as World AIDS Day annually in an effort to draw awareness to the battle against HIV, along with remembering those who have been impacted by the illness. World AIDS Day was first recognized in 1988. Since that time, AIDS has resulted in more than 40 million deaths around the world, and it remains a serious public health concern. Last year, approximately 1.5 million persons contracted HIV with 650,000 losing their lives to HIV-related problems.

In Clark County alone last year, there were 11,000 residents with HIV including 441 of cases identified as “new”. HIV diagnoses in Southern Nevada hover at approximately 420 people annually, as they have over the past five years.

According to AFAN Executive Director Antioco Carrillo: “On World AIDS Day, people unite in the fight against HIV and celebrate accomplishments made in prevention and treatment. AFAN’s goal is to help expand the availability and accessibility of prevention tools to ensure that every person with HIV receives treatment to reduce their viral load to undetectable levels. We commemorate those we lost and remember that it is within our reach to ensure the next generation does not have to continue the fight against HIV/AIDS.”