Every year on December 1st, the Department of Health organizes various activities in observance of World AIDS Day. The department considers it an important day to spread awareness about AIDS which is an acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS is the advanced stage of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection that occurs when the immune system is severely damaged. This virus is primarily transmitted through contact with certain bodily fluids of an infected person or by sharing injection drug equipment.

Since HIV is contagious and currently incurable, it is associated with social stigma. Therefore, the Department undertakes activities that focus on promoting inclusion and raising awareness simultaneously. This year, Tibetan settlements, schools, and monasteries across India participated in various activities based on local situations. In some areas, health workers coordinated street marches, hosted awareness talks and open discussions followed by games, organized marathons in collaboration with local government offices and staged role-playing in schools. The program was funded by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM).