UNAIDS Warns Of Deep Global HIV Setback As Funding Crisis Cripples Prevention

A severe funding crisis has triggered major disruptions across global HIV prevention programmes and community-led services, marking the worst setback in decades, according to a new UNAIDS report released ahead of World AIDS Day 2025.

The report shows 40.8 million people are living with HIV worldwide. In 2024, 1.3 million new infections occurred, and 9.2 million people still lack treatment.

The crisis worsened when the US, the largest global HIV funder, abruptly cut international assistance in 2025.

The move followed President Donald Trump’s assumption of office in January. It also permanently ended US support for PEPFAR, the world’s leading HIV treatment and prevention programme.

The report revealed that prevention services, already strained, have suffered the most.

Major reductions in access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and sharp declines in voluntary medical male circumcision have severely weakened key prevention tools.

The dismantling of programmes for young women has cut adolescent girls off from vital prevention, mental-health, and gender-based violence services.

In 2024, 570 girls and young women aged 15-24 contracted HIV every day.

Community-led organisations, the backbone of the HIV response, shut down widely, with over 60% of women-led groups halting key programmes.

Services for men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who inject drugs, and transgender people have also been severely affected.

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima warned that the crisis exposes the fragility of global progress. She stressed the human toll behind the statistics-children missing early diagnosis, young women losing support, and entire communities left without care.

Winnie Byanyima urged governments to ‘show political courage’ and invest in communities, innovation, and human rights.

Failure to meet the 2030 global HIV targets could result in an additional 3.3 million infections between 2025 and 2030.

Earlier projections indicated more than four million additional AIDS-related deaths by 2029 if action stalls.

Despite the challenges, some countries have responded swiftly to fill funding gaps, showing resilience in treatment delivery.

Innovation is also accelerating, with advances such as twice-yearly HIV prevention injections offering hope for high-burden regions.

UNAIDS called on global leaders to restore funding, strengthen prevention, and protect vulnerable communities to prevent further reversal of hard-won gains.

Also Read: Safdarjung Hospital Performs First-Ever Paediatric Kidney Transplant In Central Government Sector