Further cuts to funding for HIV/AIDS programs could lead to a global…
Further cuts to funding for HIV/AIDS programs could lead to a global epidemic, warns the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in its report.
Consensus
- International funding for HIV prevention programs decreased from $8.8 billion in 2024 to $7.3 billion in 2025, a drop of nearly 18%.
- The reduction in funding is described as the lowest level in almost 20 years.
- In 2025, 1.2 million new HIV infections were recorded globally.
- In 2025, approximately 570,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses.
- Without urgent measures, the number of new HIV cases could exceed 3 million by 2030.
- The decline in funding has particularly affected programs in sub-Saharan Africa, where over 90% of HIV prevention spending depends on foreign aid.
- In 2025, increases in new HIV infections were observed in three regions and 21 countries, including Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
- Around 9 million of the 41 million people living with HIV globally did not receive treatment in 2025.
- Nearly half of children with HIV lacked access to antiretroviral therapy.
Points of divergence
- The total international development assistance fell by a record 23% in 2025, which is more than the 18% drop in HIV-specific funding. — kommersant
- In some countries, funding for condom procurement and work with high-risk groups was reduced by 50–85%. — vm
- UNAIDS head Winnie Byanyima stated that 'the era of mandatory international aid is over' and called for debt restructuring in developing countries to enable investment in healthcare. — kommersant
- On February 3, American molecular biologists created a prototype HIV vaccine capable of neutralizing the virus after one dose. — vm
- As of June 2024, Russia had fewer than 1 million people living with HIV, and since 2016, HIV incidence in Russia has halved; about 90% of those infected are aware of their status and can access timely treatment. — vedomosti
Coverage (5 sources)
- UN warns of new HIV epidemic risk due to funding cuts — РИАМО
- UN: World faces new HIV epidemic due to funding cuts — Коммерсантъ
- UN: HIV Epidemic Threatens Peace Due to Funding Cuts — Вечерняя Москва
- UN warns of risk of new HIV epidemic due to funding cuts — Ведомости
- WHO Warns of HIV Epidemic Threat to the World — РИА Новости (Telegram)