UN warns: funding cuts and discrimination threaten global fight against AIDS

The global community risks failing to meet the United Nations' goal of eradicating AIDS as a public health issue by 2030. The main barriers to this goal are the reduction in international financial support for HIV control programs, lack of funds, and ongoing discrimination among vulnerable populations.

UNAIDS Report on the AIDS Crisis

These findings are contained in a special document from the Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) titled 'United to End AIDS,' which was presented at the 26th International AIDS Conference. According to UNAIDS data, external aid to developing countries decreased by 18% in 2025, and the annual funding deficit for HIV control reached a substantial amount of $4.3 billion.

Consequences of Financial and Social Problems

The reduction in funding has led to disruptions in prevention, testing, and medical care provision in many countries, especially in programs managed by local non-governmental organizations. Experts also emphasize that stigmatization and existing legal restrictions prevent millions of people from accessing treatment and preventive measures, thereby contributing to the further spread of HIV.

In several countries, laws exist that impose criminal liability for actions such as sex work, drug possession, or homosexual relationships. Because of this, representatives of these groups often fear seeking medical help or participating in prevention activities.

Epidemic Geography and Statistics

The organization estimates that 49% of all new global HIV infections affect key population groups and their partners. Against this backdrop, the epidemiological situation is worsening in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. In Sub-Saharan Africa, where half of all new infections are recorded, women and adolescent girls account for 60% of those infected, yet only 55% of children living with HIV receive treatment.

Currently, about 41 million people live with HIV, of whom 32.1 million are undergoing antiretroviral therapy. Only 1.2 million new infections were registered in 2025, and 570 thousand people died from AIDS-related causes. The report authors point out that these figures demonstrate a significant lag behind planned targets. Compared to last year, the number of new infections exceeded the target by approximately one million, and mortality was 400 thousand cases higher than expected.

Solutions to the Crisis

To overcome the current crisis, the report authors propose relying on the updated Global Strategy for 2026–2031 and the UN Political Declaration. These documents aim to ensure the full integration of specialized medical services into national healthcare systems, increase the number of people receiving treatment to 40 million, and introduce modern long-acting injectable drugs, such as lenacapavir, which is administered only twice a year and provides near-complete protection against HIV.

noticiasaominuto.comJuly 28, 06:26

UN warns that lack of funding threatens the global fight against HIV/AIDS

The global response to HIV, the agent causing AIDS, is 'completely paralyzed' due to the largest reduction in funding in decades, according to Angeli Achrekar, Executive Deputy Director of UNAIDS, speaking to the agency France-Presse (AFP).

Risk of HIV resurgence

Achrekar warned that without a reunion similar to the past, there could be an HIV resurgence, mentioning the increase in new infections in vulnerable populations in certain regions. This scenario was aggravated by the drastic decrease in international aid budget from the United States after Donald Trump's return to the White House last year, leading several European countries, such as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, to adopt a similar stance.

Data on global funding

A report by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), presented at the 26th International AIDS Conference, revealed that global funding dedicated to HIV prevention and treatment in low- and middle-income nations fell by 18% just through 2025. Furthermore, funding provided by European countries for these purposes registered a drop of 58% since 2011. Despite these cuts, the United States continues to account for 74% of public funding aimed at combating HIV, according to the document's authors.

Challenges and appeals

Achrekar emphasized that the most HIV-affected developing countries, many located in Sub-Saharan Africa, are intensifying their own efforts. However, many low-income countries rely on official development assistance to cover up to 90% of the costs of their HIV combat initiatives. Experts stressed that it is still premature to determine the full impact of these budget reductions.

Goals and recent advances

Although the number of new infections and AIDS-related deaths reached its lowest level in over 30 years in 2025, the report's authors noted that new infections increased in 21 countries. In June, the UN set goals to eradicate AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, including ensuring that 20 million people have access to antiretroviral drugs that prevent HIV transmission. The organization also warned that last year, almost half of children living with HIV did not have access to these innovative treatments.

Pharmaceutical collaboration

Achrekar called on pharmaceutical companies to make medicines 'accessible and affordable to all.' Recently, the American pharmaceutical group Merck announced agreements that will allow manufacturers in Africa and India to market generic versions of its monthly preventive pill, alimatravir, which is still in clinical trials. Simultaneously, the NGO Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) appealed to the American pharmaceutical company Gilead to make lenacapavir available in all low- and middle-income countries, as this injectable treatment represents a significant advance, requiring administration only twice a year.