UN says 'end of AIDS' is still possible by 2030, urges global action

The United Nations agency UNAIDS on Thursday reaffirmed that "the end of AIDS" is still possible by 2030, but emphasised the need for leaders to seize the opportunity and take decisive action.

To achieve this goal, UNAIDS outlined a roadmap that includes increased investment, evidence-based prevention and treatment strategies, and addressing the inequalities that hinder progress.

According to UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima, ending the pandemic is primarily a political and financial choice.

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"Success is possible – in this decade."

Progress towards ending AIDS

In its report, UNAIDS highlighted the transformation of the global AIDS pandemic over the past two decades.

Byanyima highlighted the significant progress being made in countries and regions that have made strong investments in HIV prevention and treatment. As per the UNAIDS executive director, Eastern and Southern Africa, have witnessed a 57 per cent decline in new HIV infections since 2010.

Furthermore, several countries, including Botswana, Eswatini, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, have already achieved the 95-95-95 targets, which means that 95 per cent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 per cent of those aware of their HIV-positive status are receiving treatment, and 95 per cent of those on treatment have achieved viral suppression.

Approximately 16 other countries are nearing the target, including sub-Saharan African nations and countries such as Denmark, Kuwait, and Thailand, reports AFP.

AIDS pandemic in numbers

As of 2022, approximately 39 million people worldwide were living with HIV, with 29.8 million accessing antiretroviral therapy.

In 2022, 1.3 million people became newly infected with HIV, down 59 per cent from the peak in 1995, while 630,000 died from AIDS-related illnesses.

Overall, AIDS-related deaths have been reduced by 69 per cent since 2004 — the peak.

There has been a significant increase in access to treatment for pregnant and breastfeeding women, resulting in a 58 per cent reduction in new infections among children. However, funding for HIV declined in 2022 to $20.8 billion, falling short of the $29.3 billion needed by 2025.

While since 2010, the number of individuals on antiretroviral therapy has nearly quadrupled from 7.7 million, many, including 660,000 children were still missing out on treatment, states UNAIDS.

As per the UN Agency, progress has been made in decriminalising same-sex relations in some countries, but laws criminalising key populations or their behaviours remain in place in many nations. UNAIDS emphasised that key populations continue to be disproportionately affected by the HIV pandemic, with significantly higher HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who inject drugs, and transgender people compared to the general population.

The report emphasised the opportunity to end AIDS lies in increasing "political will by investing in a sustainable response to HIV through financing what matters most: evidence-based HIV prevention and treatment, health systems integration, non-discriminatory laws, gender equality, and empowered community networks."

Byanyima called the end of AIDS "an opportunity" for leaders to be remembered as those who halted the "world's deadliest pandemic".

(With inputs from agencies)

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