Since the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s, both the rate of new diagnoses and the likelihood of dying from HIV/AIDS have fallen dramatically. But there are still about 36.9 million people around the world living with HIV or AIDS, including 1.2 million people
That’s why we need people and organizations to keep supporting those who are impacted by the disease. Support includes improving access to medications and educating others about HIV and how to prevent further infection.
We’ve rounded up the most influential accounts on Twitter. They are tirelessly supporting awareness and keeping followers abreast of all the latest developments in the HIV/AIDS world.
AIDS.gov is dedicated to educating on and advocating for HIV/AIDS issues. While the feed offers a variety of worthwhile posts, we especially like the shareable infographics and their videos starring people living with the disease.
Follow them @AIDSgov
Not everyone who is sick can afford the costly treatments modern medicine has developed to combat AIDS. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation is a Los Angeles-based organization that provides medical treatment to millions of people around the world, regardless of their ability to pay. Their active Twitter account shares the latest AIDS-related news and stories from around the web.
Follow them @AIDSHealthcare
Curious what’s happening in the White House with regards to HIV/AIDS work and policy? Amy Lansky is the director of the White House’s Office of National AIDS Policy. We like the mixture of news, updates, and infographics she tweets out.
Follow her @Amy44
The Black AIDS Institute examines how HIV/AIDS affects the U.S. black community specifically. Their mission is to stop AIDS in black communities by raising awareness, educating, and mobilizing people. The Twitter account is an excellent place to find videos and articles about their work, as well as stay abreast of upcoming advocacy events.
Follow them @blackaids
Blood:Water is a unique organization that pairs the need for HIV/AIDS awareness and education with the need for clean water. The organization has helped 1 million people get access to clean water and has provided medical service to more than 60,000 people with HIV/AIDS.
Follow them @bloodwater
On The Body’s Twitter account, you’ll find links to educational articles, fact sheets, research developments, interviews with experts, and real people stories. We particularly like their “Ask the HIV Experts” column, featuring questions on the minds of HIV/AIDS patients.
Follow them @TheBodyDotCom
The CDC’s dedicated channel for HIV/AIDS doesn’t just blast your feed with links, but it shares statistics and infographics about risk levels and prevention factors for specific communities, important developments you should be aware of, and plenty more.
Follow them @CDC_HIVAIDS
Elizabeth Glaser contracted HIV though a blood transfusion, unknowingly passing it to both of her children. She started the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation after experiencing firsthand the challenges associated with being HIV-positive and raising HIV-positive children.
Follow them @EGPAF
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria has helped save millions of lives by assisting with free medical treatment and HIV/AIDS testing. On Twitter, they share informative and game-changing content from around the web, as well as updates concerning their own work around the globe.
Follow them @GlobalFund
Having AIDS shouldn’t define someone. Greater Than AIDS’s main efforts focus on advocacy, awareness, and education — all to increase public knowledge about HIV/AIDS issues and to end the stigma.
Follow them @GreaterThanAIDS
As the deputy director of the CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP), Dr. Hazel Dean is a well-respected expert in the field of HIV/AIDS, with a focus on public health and health equity. You’ll find great information on her Twitter page, including the latest publications from the CDC.
Follow her @DrDeanCDC
The International HIV/AIDS Alliance works globally to prevent HIV/AIDS and hopes to help end the disease entirely. They’re a great source for news about advocacy work around the world, as well as videos and interviews with people who are affected by the disease.
Follow them @theaidsalliance
Scientists around the world, at universities, drug companies, and hospitals, are researching HIV/AIDS tirelessly every day. HIVandHepatitis.com is one place you can go to find the latest from these researchers regarding everything from transmission to treatment. In addition to links to recent studies and articles, you’ll find information about upcoming conferences that may interest you.
Follow them @HIVandHepatitis
Everyone has an HIV status. Such is the concept behind HIVequal — whether yours is positive or negative, we’re all equals. This organization works to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS issues and to end the stigma associated with the disease. In addition to sharing the latest from their website, their Twitter feed points followers to other worthwhile content around the web.
Follow them @HIVequal
The International AIDS Society is made up of medical, academic, and other professionals in the HIV/AIDS world working globally to further the advancement of treatment and research. From their educational articles to newsy items and photos from recent HIV/AIDS gatherings, we love the variety on their Twitter feed.
Follow them @iasociety
Dr. Jono Mermin is the director of the NCHHSTP at the CDC. Paired with his personal medical expertise, his account is a great place to look for reputable, educational tweets on HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Follow him @DrMerminCDC
Josh Robbin’s personal journey with HIV has fueled his advocacy work, which you can catch on his blog, podcast, app, and active social media presence. Robbin’s Twitter account is a great place to keep up with what the online personality is up to. He also shares tons of info and relevant links from elsewhere around the web.
Follow him @imstilljosh
The attorneys and experts working at Lambda Legal advocate for the civil rights of people living with HIV, as well as with other conditions, through policy work, educational efforts, and litigation, when necessary. If you’re interested in following the fight against discrimination that people with HIV/AIDS face, this Twitter account can keep you in the loop.
Follow them @LambdaLegal
Ludo Bok works on HIV and health issues for the United Nations Development Programme. His tweets aren’t just about HIV/AIDS, but about LGBT issues, pollution, access to healthcare, and more. We respect Bok’s work and appreciate the effort he puts into keeping the public informed.
Follow him @ludobok
Everyone knows MTV, but did you know that they support HIV/AIDS advocacy? The Staying Alive Foundation produces informative content to help educate young people about the disease. They raise money for research efforts, share upcoming events, and chronicle the movements of their staff as they travel around the world to support prevention projects.
Follow them @mtvstayingalive
In the iconic Golden Gate Park of San Francisco, California, you’ll find the National AIDS Memorial Grove, a dedicated space commemorating all of the lives tragically impacted by HIV/AIDS. On Twitter, the organization is all about information, advocacy, and activism, with links to interviews with caregivers, survivors, and more.
Follow them @aids_memorial
PEPFAR is a federal government initiative that works to save lives affected by HIV/AIDS both in the United States and abroad. Their very interactive Twitter presence shares meaningful quotes and thoughts about the HIV/AIDS crisis, and is a great place to look for the latest developments in global AIDS advocacy.
Follow them @PEPFAR
“POZ Magazine” is a print magazine that focuses on HIV/AIDS advocacy, research, information, and the community that HIV/AIDS has created. This is where they share all of their latest articles, along with their blog posts and personal HIV stories.
Follow them @pozmagazine
HIV/AIDS affects women as well as men, but women with either often feel underrepresented in discussions surrounding the disease. Using a red high-heeled shoe as their attention-grabbing logo, the Red Pump Project seeks to empower women and girls while educating the public. Their Twitter feed highlights their advocacy work, issues affecting women with HIV/AIDS, and shares inspirational messages.
Follow them @RedPumpProj
If you’re curious about the latest and greatest happenings in the HIV/AIDS community, this Twitter feed should be top of your follow list. We love that they share personal stories and remind people that HIV/AIDS affects folks from all walks of life.
Follow them @RiseUpToHIV
The San Francisco AIDS Foundation has been central to the fight against HIV/AIDS for years. This is their home on Twitter, where you can find out about the organization’s latest and upcoming efforts. They also tweet out links to personal stories from men and women who are living with HIV, or face challenges in access to prevention care like PrEP.
Follow them @SFAIDSFound
Act Against AIDS is a campaign of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Talk HIV is their official Twitter account. Their cause is relatively unique: to fight against complacency about HIV/AIDS. Keeping HIV/AIDS in the public eye is one of their goals, and this account is certainly helping to achieve that.
Follow them @talkHIV
UNAIDS is the official website and Twitter account of the United Nation’s program on HIV/AIDS. Among their many goals: to work toward zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS deaths, and zero discrimination of those living with HIV/AIDS. Most of their tweets detail the organization’s advocacy work around the world. We especially like the photos they share of activism and awareness efforts globally.
Follow them @UNAIDS
When Dawn Averitt was diagnosed with HIV and realized there was little to no information out there for women, she founded the Well Project. Now, the website and Twitter page have the support and following of women around the world. We especially like the personal stories they share from women living and thriving despite HIV/AIDS.
Follow them @thewellproject