1.3 million new HIV cases recorded as UN reports funding gap

… Claims 1.3 million new cases will be recorded in 2024 as global response fails

…Calls for urgent political commitment ahead of the HIV Summit in June 2026

The United Nations (UN) has warned that declining external funding for health programs is undermining hard-won gains in the global fight against HIV, with Africa and other regions increasingly exposed to rising new infections and treatment gaps.

In a report released ahead of the UN General Assembly high-level meeting on HIV/AIDS scheduled for 22-23 June 2026, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the global response to HIV is at “a critical juncture”, underlining that the progress achieved over the past decade is now seriously threatened.

Guterres noted that while 31.6 million of the 40.8 million people living with HIV were receiving treatment in 2024 – the highest level on record – and AIDS-related deaths have fallen by 54% since 2010, this progress is increasingly fragile due to reduced donor funding, rising debt burdens, humanitarian crises and worsening inequality.

It warned that global external health financing could decline by up to 40%, a development that would disproportionately affect HIV prevention, access to care and community-led interventions in low- and middle-income countries.

The report showed that the world is significantly far from reaching the 2025 HIV targets, with 1.3 million new infections recorded in 2024, about 3.5 times higher than the target of 370,000. He also noted that about 630,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses in the same year, more than double the 2025 goal.

According to the UN, 9.2 million people are still not receiving treatment globally, while prevention gaps remain large, particularly among vulnerable populations.

The situation is particularly dire in sub-Saharan Africa, where adolescent girls and young women are three to four times more likely to contract HIV than their male counterparts. The report also revealed that in Central and West Africa, up to 90% of funding for HIV treatment depends on external donors, while prevention programs rely on foreign assistance for around 80%.

In eastern and southern Africa, where the majority of people living with HIV are concentrated, seven countries have met global testing and treatment targets of 95-95-95. However, the UN has warned that this progress could be reversed without sustained funding and policy reforms.

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima described the progress made so far as “a shining testament” to what coordinated global action can achieve, but warned that financial shocks and weakening political will could derail decades of progress.

“Without urgent action to close the funding gap, millions of lives are at stake,” Byanyima said, warning that cuts to external assistance would hit community-based organizations hardest, undermining testing, treatment adherence and prevention services.

The report also highlighted emerging opportunities, including long-acting HIV prevention drugs, which could significantly reduce new infections if used widely. However, he noted that implementation remains slow despite the availability of more affordable generic options.

Guterres called on member states to use the upcoming high-level meeting to recommit to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, urging more domestic funding, the elimination of discriminatory laws and greater protection for community-run health systems.

“The road to ending AIDS by 2030 exists and remains open,” the UN chief said, “but only if we act together.”

UNAIDS also urged governments to adopt new global targets for HIV and ensure equitable access to innovations in prevention and treatment, warning that failure to take decisive action could trigger a resurgence of infections worldwide.

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