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World AIDS Day update

25 November 2025 – The global response to HIV has suffered its most significant setback in decades, warns a new UNAIDS report released today ahead of World AIDS Day 2025. ‘Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response’ details the far-reaching consequences of international funding reductions and lack of global solidarity which sent shockwaves through low- and middle-income countries heavily affected by HIV.

Abrupt reductions in international HIV assistance in 2025 have deepened existing funding shortfalls. The OECD estimates that external health assistance is projected to drop by 30–40% in 2025 compared with 2023, causing immediate and even more severe disruption to health services in low- and middle-income countries.

“The funding crisis has exposed the fragility of the progress we fought so hard to achieve,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Behind every data point in this report are people—babies and children missed for HIV screening or early HIV diagnosis, young women cut off from prevention support, and communities suddenly left without services and care. We cannot abandon them. We must overcome this disruption and transform the AIDS response.”

A failure to reach the 2030 global HIV targets of the next Global AIDS Strategy could result in an additional 3.3 million new HIV infections between 2025 and 2030.

Today, 40.8 million people are living with HIV worldwide, 1.3 million new infections occurred in 2024, and 9.2 million people are still not accessing treatment.

This World AIDS Day, UNAIDS is calling on global leaders to:

Reaffirm global solidarity, multilateralism and the collective commitment to fight and end AIDS together.
Maintain funding for the response
Invest in innovation, including affordable long-acting prevention and treatment options.
Uphold human rights. Empower communities.

“This is our moment to choose,” Ms. Byanyima urged. “We can allow these shocks to undo decades of hard-won gains, or we can unite behind the shared vision of ending AIDS. Millions of lives depend on the choices we make today.”

NOTE TO EDITORS/PRODUCERS:

No embargo. Please use the images in the context described. Unless indicated, the HIV status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic of people in the images are unknown and should not be described inappropriately. If in doubt, contact UNAIDS: Sectorc@unaids.org

Geneva, Switzerland (shot 25 November 2025)

Courtesy: UNTV Geneva

Exterior UNOG
Interior press room, two principals and moderator on panel
Room shot, two photographers while Winnie is speaking
Reuters camerawoman wide shot from press conference room
CU of camera woman
Panel shot from above
Winnie Byanyima holding up cover of UNAIDS World AIDS Day report

SOUNDBITES (all in English)

SOUNDBITE (English) – Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director: “The global response to HIV has suffered its most significant setback in decades that is what we are clearly saying in our World AIDS Day report.”

SOUNDBITE (English) – Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director: “Across 13 countries, the number of people newly initiated on HIV treatment has declined compared to last year. Stockouts of HIV test kits and medicines have been reported in countries including Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Prevention services—already under strain before the crisis—were the hardest hit. 450,000 women in sub-Saharan Africa lost access to what we call mother mentors these are women who connect them to services ; 24% of providers reported interruptions in early infant diagnosis. Nigeria saw a 55% drop in condom distribution. Community-led organizations—the backbone of the HIV response—reported widespread closures, with more than 60% of women-led organizations suspending essential programmes. In other words: the funding crisis exposed the fragility of the progress we fought so hard to achieve.”

SOUNDBITE (English) – Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director: “Today, this is our call to action, 40.8 million- almost 41 million- people are living with HIV worldwide, 1.3 million new infections occurred last year, and 9.2 million people are still not receiving treatment, AIDS is not over.”

SOUNDBITE (English) – Dr Byrone Chingombe, Technical Director at the Centre for Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Research CeSHHAR , Zimbabwe: “Let me start by saying that 2025 has been a very hard year personally, and professionally, just to give you some context – in Zimbabwe the bulk of the funding for HIV programs comes from external donors.”

SOUNDBITE (English) – Dr Byrone Chingombe, Technical Director at the Centre for Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Research CeSHHAR “That caused panic, confusion, misinformation across all strata of society in our programming. when the cuts happened. The trouble is within facilities, the tablets wre on the shelves (HIV treatment) but the service providers meant to distribute them had been laid off, that caused treatment disruption and adherence for treatment and prevention and importantly that disrupted trust among our communities.”

END

World AIDS Day 2025: Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response

Speakers:

Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director
Byrone Chingombe, Technical Director, Centre for Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Research (from Harare, Zimbabwe)
Angeli Achrekar, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director

UNAIDS Press conference - 25 November 2025

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