This year’s World Health Summit will be held in Berlin, Germany from 11 to 13 October under the theme: From Crisis to Resilience: Innovating for Health. At the Summit UNAIDS will share its knowledge and expertise in the future of the HIV response, global health financing, pandemic preparedness and inequalities that are preventing progress.  

The World Health Summit 2026 takes place at a critical moment. In June, countries adopted a new Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS, reaffirming the goal to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. The focus now must shift from political commitment to implementation.  

This year has seen a sequence of major milestones, including the High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, AIDS 2026 and UNGA81. Together, these events and commitments have helped draw from the AIDS response to further debates on equitable financing, health sovereignty, pandemic preparedness, resilience and the future of multilateral cooperation. It also coincides with a pivotal moment for the future of the UNAIDS and its transformation.  

UNAIDS objectives at the World Health Summit:

• Stress that AIDS is not over and that a broad, multisectoral coalition is needed to turn commitments into action to save lives and end AIDS by 2030
• Draw on the lessons from the HIV response to address broader global health challenges and future pandemics
• Ensure a considered and safe transition to country ownership of HIV responses that ‘does no harm’ to people living with and affected by HIV
• Emphasise the critical importance of maintain and building community-based and community-led services to respond to HIV and other health emergencies

EVENTS 

Sunday 11 October

9:00-10:30
Global health architecture reform: From recommendations to action at the regional and country levels  

This session focuses on what reform looks like from the regional and country level. The discussion will explore "what's actually changing" and "what's next". The session draws on experiences from countries, regional institutions, funders, and global actors to examine whether a more regionalised approach can make global health cooperation more responsive, coherent, and accountable.

11:00-12.30
Advancing equitable, person-centred HIV prevention and care in Europe

This side event, co-organized by the International AIDS Society (IAS) and AIDS action Europe, will highlight how person-centred, community-led HIV prevention and care informed by lived experience can reshape and redefine service delivery and related policies. It will reinforce why community-led systems must be recognized and resourced as integral to public health delivery.

 At a time of shifting global financing priorities and growing pressure on health systems, the event will provide a platform for exchange on enabling policies and examples of person-centred HIV programming to expand access to HIV testing, prevention, care and related services for people living with HIV and populations vulnerable to HIV acquisition.

 
Monday 12 October

11:00-12:00
Long-acting innovation, lasting impact: Advancing the global HIV response 

The discussion will feature Mark Dybul, former Executive Director of the Global Fund and former U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator leading PEPFAR, who will share an exclusive preview of Rockefeller-funded economic modelling from Imperial College London and Georgetown University examining the potential impact of accelerating the rollout of long-acting PrEP for populations at higher risk of acquiring HIV across high-, middle- and low-income settings. The event will also explore barriers to countries and at-risk populations accessing long-acting HIV prevention and treatment options, with a particular focus on regulatory, financing and supply chain challenges, with a deep dive into the unique barriers faced by middle-income countries and regions.
 
14:00-15:30
G7 and G20: Fit for future global health challenges? 

The G7 and G20 have played a pivotal role in shaping global health agendas. Through their convening power, they have translated shared priorities into coordinated responses, have mobilized resources and fostered tangible political action.  

This session will examine where both fora stand today, how they interact with another, and whether the G7 and G20 remain fit-for-purpose to advance global health priorities: Should they be adapted to continue driving effective global health action in an increasingly multipolar world?  
 
14:00-15:30
RoundTable discussion - Resilience in the HIV response: From innovation to impact 

Aligning with this year’s Summit theme of resilience and innovation, this special session will be a roundtable discussion with a facilitated conversation between legislators and experts, focused on policy leadership in the HIV response. Discussions will cover the latest innovations in the HIV response and the role of legislators in driving implementation; how to build resilience into public health systems; sustainable financing; and the necessary political priorities to ensure the HIV response delivers equitable public health outcomes for key populations.
 
18.00-19.30
World Health Summit signature event: “From crisis to resilience: Innovating for health”

How can global health move from a crisis response to lasting resilience and turn shared ambition into concrete action? The World Health Summit 2026 Signature Event will bring together global leaders, multilateral institutions, youth voices and partners in philanthropy and innovation to explore the political choices, institutional changes, and innovations needed to deliver better health for all. 

 

Tuesday 13 October

09:00-10:30 
Safeguarding the global HIV response in a changing multilateral environment 

This workshop brings together donors, policymakers, civil society and UN system representatives. Looking ahead, the session will consider what lessons the UNAIDS experience may offer for wider multilateral reform efforts, such as the UN80 reform process, particularly how institutions can work in a more efficient and coordinated manner, while increasing specialization, legitimacy, accountability and responsiveness including to communities and CSOs.

Not too long ago, across Madagascar, in regions facing severe drought and extreme poverty, some young girls were in dire straits, unable to buy basic necessities, some-times having to exchange unprotected sex for commodities as commonplace as a single tomato. 

For many years, Madagascar's HIV response was focused primarily on key populations including men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who use drugs and prisoners. But on the ground, warning signs were emerging that the picture was changing. 

"We began seeing clear indications that the epidemic was no longer confined to traditionally defined key populations but was increasingly affecting bridge populations and the wider community," said Jude Padayachy, Secretary of State, Ministry of Health, Seychelles and former UNAIDS Country Director for Madagascar, Seychelles and Comoros. 

By 2024, Madagascar had recorded a 151% increase in new HIV infections since 2010. At the same time, HIV treatment coverage remained at just 24%, among the lowest in the region and far below UNAIDS' target of 95%. Weak surveillance systems, low HIV prevention and limited capacity to test for HIV meant that the country did not have a clear picture about the true scale and changing nature of the epidemic. 

Changing the response required better surveillance and service delivery, but also political leadership and commitment and the willingness to challenge assumptions that had shaped the HIV response for years. "Overcoming the initial resistance to shift our strategic approach required robust evidence and persistent dialogue," said Mr Padayachy. 

Over several years, UNAIDS worked alongside the Government of Madagascar, communities, civil society organizations and development partners to strengthen surveillance systems, improve data collection and build a stronger evidence-base to inform the decision-making. 

"UNAIDS played a vital role in helping Madagascar strengthen the evidence-base for our HIV response and foster dialogue around this evidence," said Norosa Rakotoherimora, Programme Manager, STI and HIV Control, Ministry of Health, Madagascar. 

Then came a critical turning point. 

In 2026, new data revealed that HIV prevalence among pregnant women attending antenatal care services had reached 1.1%. This is above the 1% threshold that signals a generalized epidemic. The finding was a powerful signal that HIV transmission was reaching beyond the populations traditionally at the centre of Madagascar's response. The young girls exchanging unprotected sex for a single tomato were outside of the picture the HIV response had been built around. The epidemic could no longer be understood only through the lens of key populations. 

The new evidence transformed the national conversation. It created an opportunity to bring the next National Strategic Plan in line with the reality of the epidemic, including expanding HIV prevention efforts, strengthening community action, increasing access to testing for HIV and engaging sectors far beyond health. 

The new evidence is also influencing conversations with international partners, including The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, as Madagascar's HIV response is increasingly considered as a more widespread epidemic. 

While the story is not yet over, the country has a clearer picture of the challenge it faces and a stronger basis for how it responds. 

Madagascar's experience shows how data combined with sustained advocacy, leadership and political commitment, can change how a country understands its epidemic, how it responds and ultimately, how many lives it can save. 

Today, UNAIDS no longer has a country office in Madagascar, however, that did not end its support. The UNAIDS Regional Support Team for East and Southern Africa has kept the work going, continuing to provide technical support and helping to ensure the HIV response follows the evidence. 

At a special ceremony during the 63rd Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Directing Council, Brazil, the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands were recognized for achieving milestones towards eliminating vertical transmission of HIV, underscoring the Americas' growing leadership in ending new HIV infections among children.  

“Today we celebrate an achievement that reflects the best of our region: the ability to transform political commitment, evidence and cooperation into concrete results for people’s health,” said PAHO Director Dr Jarbas Barbosa. 

The achievements recognized include: 

• Brazil—validated in December 2025 for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, becoming the world’s most populous country to achieve this milestone.
• The Bahamas—certified in April 2026 for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
• Turks and Caicos Islands—certified in June 2026 for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV and hepatitis B, becoming the first territory in the Americas to achieve the latter milestone. 

The achievements add to a long history of leadership by the Americas in disease elimination. 

“UNAIDS is proud of the progress across the Americas in eliminating vertical transmission of HIV,” said Dr Angeli Achrekar, Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS, who attended the ceremony. “PAHO’s recognition of Brazil, the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands signals bold progress towards ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.” 

During the recent United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, Member States adopted a bold new Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS, which commits them to ‘prioritize and urgently accelerate the elimination of vertical transmission of HIV’. 

These milestones are part of the broader Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV Plus Initiative, which aims to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and congenital Chagas disease across Latin America and the Caribbean. Implemented in collaboration with UNICEF and UNAIDS, the initiative is embedded within PAHO’s Elimination Initiative, a regional effort to eliminate more than 30 communicable diseases and related conditions in the Americas by 2030. 

Governments, communities, civil society and United Nations partners have called for a transformed Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)  that is more integrated, efficient and sustainable, while retaining the leadership, accountability and community partnership needed to end AIDS as a public health threat. 

At a two-day multi-stakeholder consultation, participants considered options being developed by the Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) Working Group on the future transition and integration of UNAIDS within the UN system to end AIDS by 2030 and protect the gains beyond.  

“Countries want a Joint Programme led by a strong Secretariat, or Hub, with political weight, visibility and authority. A Hub able to work across sectors and beyond the limitations of any single institutional mandate. And a Hub that protects the space for communities to influence decisions, shape priorities and hold institutions accountable,” said Paul Zubail, Deputy Director General for European and International Politics at the German Federal Ministry of Health. 

“Should that Hub become leaner over time? Yes. But leaner cannot mean weaker. If we expect the Hub to lead, it must have the capacity and standing to lead. Reducing it to a marginal coordinating function would dismantle the central driving force of the UN’s HIV response,” he added. 

Participants were clear that transformation must strengthen, not dilute, the HIV response. They broadly supported a more coordinated ‘One UN’ approach and stronger national ownership. At the same time, they stressed that any transition must be phased, evidence-based and tailored to country realities, particularly where HIV infections are rising, services are under pressure, or human rights and civic space are at risk. 

“The success of this transition will be measured not by the speed of institutional change, but by whether people continue to receive the support, protection and services they need,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Success is about transitioning to national institutions, not simply redistributing functions within the UN system.” 

The Working Group leading the recommended transformation process has already agreed that sunsetting the UN Joint Programme is not a viable option. Its proposals aim to build a leaner, more cohesive Joint Programme in which co-sponsoring organizations take stronger responsibility for technical implementation, while a hub retains the capacity to lead, convene, advocate, gather and analyse data, promote accountability and uphold human rights and gender equality. 

Participants emphasized that country-level arrangements must not follow a single template. In some settings, functions may increasingly be coordinated through Resident Coordinator offices, co-sponsoring organizations or national institutions. 

 “UNAIDS’ institutional knowledge, technical expertise and partnerships built over years, especially at country level and with communities are an important asset for the global HIV response.” said Uday Bhanu Da, Representative of India, Ministry of Health and National HIV/AIDS Control Programme. 

Thembisile Xulu, CEO of the South African National AIDS Council, Chairperson of the HIV Leadership Forum and Chair of the Global NAC Community of Practice, representing the heads of National AIDS Councils from more than 40 countries, highlighted the value of UNAIDS’ systems, structures, experience and political standing in supporting country-level impact. She stressed that the future of UNAIDS country hubs should be shaped by the context and needs of each country.  

But many speakers highlighted the need for continued, identifiable HIV leadership in countries where national systems are not yet ready to assume these functions, where communities face criminalization or discrimination, or where the response requires urgent coordination. 

Community representatives repeatedly underlined that UNAIDS’ contribution is not only technical. Its relationships with communities, governments and partners have helped create space for people living with HIV and key populations to influence policies, challenge stigma and secure access to services. Participants called for those relationships, as well as technical capacity, to be protected through any transition. 

Speaking on behalf of Global Black Gay Men Connect, Michael Ighodaro, Executive Director, and a man living with HIV, stressed the need for clear criteria for country transitions, meaningful community involvement, continued protection for key populations, and resources that reach communities directly. 

“Integration must not mean dilution,” was a recurring message. Participants called for clear safeguards to ensure that HIV expertise, community engagement, human rights, gender equality and multisectoral coordination are not lost as responsibilities shift across the UN system. 

There was strong support for developing transparent readiness criteria to guide any transfer of functions. These should consider epidemiology, national capacity, financing, community participation, human rights, gender equality and civic space. Participants also called for every future country arrangement to have a named, resourced and accountable HIV coordination function, with clear authority to convene partners and engage communities. 

The consultation also highlighted the importance of regional capacity. Participants noted that regional support is essential for addressing cross-border HIV challenges, sharing expertise, supporting community networks and responding to diverse epidemics and political contexts. 

Funding was a central issue throughout the discussions. Participants agreed that the future model must be financially sustainable and viable but stressed that financing should follow the functions that the PCB wishes to retain. The Working Group is examining different budget scenarios and will provide further analysis of the implications of different funding levels, including the costs of a responsible transition. 

The consultation also affirmed the distinctive governance role of the PCB, including its participation by civil society. Participants called for stronger mutual accountability among co-sponsors, communities, the UNAIDS hub and Member States, and for meaningful community involvement in decisions on resources, monitoring and results. 

The Working Group will now incorporate the feedback received into its final plan. The plan is expected to be published on 8 October and will be considered by the PCB at a special session on 26 October. 

The consultations underscored a shared commitment to build a renewed Joint Programme that is fit for the changing world characterized by funding declines for HIV and other public health programmes, rooted in national ownership and community leadership, and able to work with countries and communities to end AIDS. 

When Esther Nyamungu talks about Ebola, she does not begin with the day she became ill. She starts with what came after. 

A community worker at a Bunia community-based point of distribution of antiretrovirals, known in French by its acronym PODI, Esther contracted Ebola during this most recent outbreak that has swept through Ituri province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. She was taken to a treatment centre in Bunia, where patients arrive carrying both the symptoms of the disease and the fear that surrounds it.  

Today, Esther calls herself a survivor. Living with HIV, she also survived Ebola. "I was taken to the Ebola treatment centre. I recovered, and now I have resumed my activities. I work as usual," she says. Her experience left her with a simple message for others. "I encourage people to go early to an Ebola treatment centre," she says.  

Across Ituri, stories like Esther's have become an important source of information in communities where rumours and fear can discourage people from seeking care, especially among those living with HIV. Survivors are often among the most trusted voices, speaking from experience rather than theory. Yet Ebola is only one part of the challenge facing families in the province.  

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UNAIDS is helping ensure the Ebola response does not come at the expense of other essential health services. Working alongside government authorities, community organizations, health partners and United Nations agencies, UNAIDS supports efforts to keep HIV services available, strengthen community engagement and connect emergency response measures with longer-term health system resilience.  

The approach draws on decades of lessons from the HIV response, showing how trusted communities, coordinated partnerships and sustained political commitment can help countries respond to outbreaks while continuing to serve people's everyday health needs.   

As global health challenges become increasingly interconnected, the experience in Ituri highlights the importance of maintaining strong community-led responses, protecting access to services and ensuring that no one is left behind during times of crisis.  

“In affected areas, the Ebola outbreak and response have put pressure on routine health services, with fear, stigma and stretched health facilities contributing to reduced attendance and making it harder for some people living with HIV to collect medicines or remain engaged in care”, says Marie Margarete Molnar, UNAIDS Country Director for the DRC. 

Those concerns were at the centre of discussions in Bunia in July when community representatives, health officials and local organizations met with UNAIDS, during a three-day mission to the province. Bunia is the epicentre of the country's current Ebola outbreak.  

The meeting brought together people working closest to affected communities. Among them was Angèle Machozi, a community representative who described the strain the outbreak has placed on local organizations. She said, “community groups had continued supporting vulnerable people despite limited resources and growing needs.” New funding, she explained, would allow them to expand activities already underway and reach more communities affected by the outbreak. 

Since the outbreak was declared in May 2026, Ebola has spread across multiple provinces. As of mid-September, WHO reported more than 7,200 confirmed cases and more than 3,475 deaths. Public health experts warn that the true scale may be larger because not all infections are detected and many transmission chains remain unknown.  

In response, two community-based projects supported by UNAIDS have been launched in Ituri in partnership with local authorities, a national network of people living with HIV (UCOP+), and a national civil society consortium (ANORS). The project is designed to cover 11 of the health zones most affected by Ebola relying on PODI structures to connect people to 23 health facilities nearby.   

The activities focus on practical challenges communities face every day: distributing antiretroviral medicines, following up with people living with HIV, supporting prevention of mother-to-child transmission, improving infection prevention measures, and sharing information about Ebola through trusted local networks. 

The approach reflects a reality often overlooked during health emergencies. Outbreaks are not fought only in treatment centres. They are also fought in neighborhoods, community halls, places of worship and local markets, where people decide whether to seek care, collect medicines or trust public health advice.  

That is where Esther's voice matters. She is not a doctor or a health official. She is someone who became ill, received treatment and returned to her life. Now, when others ask about Ebola, she offers an answer grounded in her own experience. 

She tells them she survived. And she tells them not to wait. 

At a high-level event at UNGA81 cohosted by the Governments of the Netherlands and Botswana, representatives of member states, communities, United Nations officials and global health partners affirmed the need for a transformed Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) that can sustain political leadership, accountability and community engagement in the global HIV response.

During this event, held during the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week, participants reflected on what is needed to ensure that the Joint Programme remains fit for purpose amid changing financing, widening inequalities, threats to human rights and an increasingly complex global health landscape.

Across the discussion, speakers emphasized the importance of protecting the functions that have made UNAIDS distinctive: keeping HIV high on the political agenda; convening governments, communities, the United Nations and partners; strengthening data and accountability; supporting country leadership; and ensuring that communities are able to co-create and co-lead the response.

Opening the event, Stephen Modise, Minister of Health of Botswana and co-host, stressed the value of a Joint Programme that responds to countries’ needs and supports national leadership in the HIV response.

“Our journey has shown what is possible when political leadership, communities, science, and partnership come together with common purpose and coordinated support. We would not have reached this point without the UNAIDS Joint Programme,” said Stephen Modise.

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed highlighted the importance of sustained multilateral action to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals and end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

“The global HIV and AIDS response stands among the finest achievements of the UN, and among the clearest proof of what collective action, inclusive collective action, can deliver. For more than three decades, UNAIDS has helped lead the charge. Millions of lives have been saved, not only through prevention and treatment, but by standing with communities, amplifying their voices, defending their rights, keeping that space open for them,” said Amina Mohamed.

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said that the next chapter of the Joint Programme must build on its unique ability to bring together governments, communities, the United Nations and partners behind a shared global HIV response.

“Ultimately, transformation is not only about integrating UNAIDS Joint Programme into the UN system, it’s about integrating the AIDS response into stronger national institutions,” said Winnie Byanyima.

The discussion was moderated by Angeli Achrekar, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, and brought together voices from governments, communities, civil society, global health partners and the United Nations.

Douglas Bosire of Kenya’s Ministry of Health reflected on how countries can translate the commitments in the 2026 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS and the Global AIDS Strategy into action, while ensuring that HIV responses are nationally owned and sustainable.

“Let us preserve the core functions of the Joint Programme in the hub and at the country level,” said Douglas Bosire.

Julia Martin, Head of Strategy at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, emphasized the importance of partnership, coordinated investment and shared accountability in supporting countries to sustain progress against HIV.

“The Global Fund depends on UNAIDS. And so I want to put that right up front that looking forward to how the Political Declaration and the objectives that were placed in that document can be achieved, it’s really a partnership,” said Julia Martin.

The meeting also considered how the HIV response can strengthen national ownership while retaining the political leadership, coordination and accountability needed to keep HIV visible and deliver results. Participants noted that a future Joint Programme must support countries according to their specific contexts and needs, while drawing more effectively on the capacities of the wider United Nations system and other partners.

Keren Dunaway, NGO Delegate to the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board and representative of the International Community of Women Living with HIV, underscored that communities must remain central to the future of the HIV response.

“We support a responsible transformation that preserves the Joint Programme’s leadership, coordination, and accountability, and keeps communities involved in shaping what comes next,” said Keren Dunaway.

Florence Anam, Co-Executive Director of GNP+, called for communities to be recognized and resourced as genuine co-creators and co-leaders of the HIV response, particularly at a time of shrinking civic space and pushback against human rights.

“I am happy that we are at this point where we understand that we need UNAIDS and we need UNAIDS leadership. It really excites me to sit in this meeting today and see the voice, the tone shift from what it was last year and early this year,” said Florence Anam.

“But I think as UNAIDS transforms and chooses to transform responsibly, that responsibility will require a clear definition of what community role will be, intentionally positioned at country level, where we must all go and sit with our governments and define,” she added.

Participants also reflected on the need for resilient HIV responses in the face of outbreaks, humanitarian emergencies and other crises. Mikheil Sarjveladze, Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Health, Labour and Social Affairs of Georgia, spoke to the importance of continuity of services and strong, coordinated public-health systems.

“Have we achieved the goals to end AIDS by 2030? The answer is no, we haven't yet achieved all results to end HIV. Is there still necessity of information to be shared? Is there any risk of new outbreaks? Of course, there is such a risk. Thus, I think it will be impossible to find or invent better solution to all above-mentioned challenges than to continue with UNAIDS,” said Mikheil Sarjveladze.

In closing, Pascalle Grotenhuis, Vice Minister for International Cooperation in the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed the importance of an effective, accountable and adequately resourced multilateral response to HIV.

“In the 30 plus years that UNAIDS has existed, a lot has been achieved. The numbers of HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths are at the lowest level ever, and this progress shows that a joint AIDS response works. The Netherlands was there at the start of the joint program, and we are as committed today to end AIDS as we were then,” said Pascalle Grotenhuis.

The event demonstrated a shared commitment to ensuring that the Joint Programme can continue to mobilize political will, protect human rights, elevate community leadership and support countries to deliver on the promise of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

In June, earthquakes in Venezuela left many people living with HIV facing urgent questions. Were pharmacies and health facilities still operating? Where could they collect their medicines? How could they continue their care? At the Venezuelan Network of People Living with HIV (RVG+), the phone started ringing as people sought information and support.

“There was a lot of fear because people did not know where to go, what to do or who to call to find out how to continue receiving care,” said Alfredo Mendieta, HIV community monitoring project officer at RVG+, a Venezuelan civil society network and advocacy group that supports people living with HIV.

RVG+ began identifying what each person needed and connecting them with its teams on the ground, who helped reconnect them with services. According to the organization, 90% of the people who approached the network were linked back to health services.

Across the border in Colombia, community organizations faced similar challenges after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake in August. Fundación Ancla, Red Somos and Fundamor combined their efforts and strengthened word-of-mouth outreach to find people who needed treatment in Manizales, Pereira, Cali and Chocó, some of the country's most affected regions.

“In a context of uncertainty, people needed answers for the here and now,” said Aharón Andrés Cardona, founder and director of Fundación Ancla. While regular service points were being restored, the organizations focused on identifying people and arranging access to medicines. According to Cardona, “around 70% of the people who approached them seeking medicines were able to access treatment through the civil society-led response.”

In both neighboring countries, community response helped support people while services gradually recovered. They knew where to find those who needed assistance. Authorities knew they needed to restore and maintain access to care as soon as possible. UNAIDS helped connect the different parts of the response, organizing information gathered through the calls to identify priorities and emerging needs, facilitating links between community-led services and local health authorities, and mobilizing resources to keep phone lines open and help people travel from temporary camps to health facilities.

The experience in Venezuela also contributed to the development of a simple guidance for protecting continuity of HIV care during emergencies and disasters. Two months later, UNAIDS helped adapt and update this guidance to the Colombian context, sharing it with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and community organizations, including Fundación Ancla.

“Communities know their people and their neighborhoods. They know where the needs are, and they’re often the first place that people turn to when they need support,” said Luisa Cabal, UNAIDS Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. “When emergencies happen, it is imperative to support strong community leadership and coordination with authorities. This can make all the difference in ensuring that no one is left behind or disconnected from the care they need.”

The experience highlights a broader lesson that extends beyond Colombia and Venezuela. By supporting coordination among local actors when emergencies disrupt daily life, UNAIDS contributes not only to maintaining continuity of care for people in vulnerable situations, but also to strengthening preparedness for future health emergencies, showing that lessons from the HIV response continue to inform broader efforts to build resilient, people-centered health systems. 

The 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, taking place in New York from 18 to 28 September, will once again convene world leaders to revitalize global cooperation, give a critical push to the Sustainable Development Goals and drive collective action for peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet. 

At the UN General Assembly, UNAIDS will call on countries to turn the political commitments they made at the June High-Level Meeting on AIDS (HLM) into results. UNGA81 is a critical milestone for sustaining momentum from the HLM through to World AIDS Day 2026 – and beyond. 

UNGA81 takes place at a moment of significant transition in the multilateral system with the impending election of a new UN Secretary-General and ongoing discussions on UN reform – including future evolutions to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV.

The overall objective for the week is to secure high-level political support for the future of UNAIDS while positioning the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS as an indispensable partner for global health, the fight against inequalities, health security and sustainability and to highlight it as an example of success in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. 

UNGA81 offers a unique platform for positioning HIV not as a standalone issue, but as part of the solution to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, including: 1) pandemic preparedness, 2) equitable access to medicines, 3) health sovereignty, 4) inequalities, 5) the need to protect community leadership, service delivery and funding and 6) building sustainable health systems capable of delivering quality, mainstream healthcare on once-specialized issues, such as HIV.  
 
Three Political Asks 

At UNGA81, UNAIDS will call on world leaders and ministers to: 

1. Reflect the targets of the Political Declaration in national plans, ensure adequate financing is available, laws are enabling and accountability is transparent so results may be measured.
2. Protect HIV financing and continuity of services, especially prevention, community-led services and support for populations most exposed to HIV (noting the majority of budget cuts in the last 12 months have adversely impacted these efforts).
3. Back a transformed and strong United Nations Programme on AIDS, recognizing its essential and unique contributions to the global AIDS response and that its country and regional support are required to turn political commitments into results. 

EVENTS 

Tuesday 22 September
13:00–16:00
OAFLAD: A Legacy of Leadership – Delivering for Women and Girls

In 2027, the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) will commemorate its 25th Anniversary, marking a quarter-century of visionary leadership, continental solidarity, and transformative advocacy for the health and well-being of African women, children, and young people. This high-level side event will provide an opportunity to reflect on OAFLAD's remarkable journey, celebrate its enduring partnerships, and articulate a shared vision for the organization's next chapter.

Venue: Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice
 
Wednesday 23 September
08:00–10:00
African Leadership & Regional Production of Frontier AIDS and other Pandemic Medicines

A high-level event co-organized by UNAIDS, African Medicines Agency, African Union Development Agency-NEPAD, Perry World House-University of Pennsylvania, Global Council on AIDS, Inequality, and Pandemics, on the sidelines of the 2026 UN General Assembly to advance one of the most consequential goals of the African health sovereignty agenda: dramatically expanding the production of cutting-edge pandemic medicines on the African continent, for the African continent.

Venue: Penn Club
 
10:30–12:30
High-Level Event on “International Panel on Inequality: Addressing the Global Inequality Crisis”

This high-level side event is convened by Brazil, Norway, South Africa and Spain. It will bring together Heads of State and Government, Ministers and leaders of International Organizations, on the need to address the global inequality crisis, an issue of great concern for Member States and the UN.

The event shall provide an opportunity to exchange views and offer inputs on the proposed international panel, and build broad international political support for its establishment. An IPI would be a body anchored in neutral, science-based and objective analysis, situated within the multilateral system. The event will discuss how an IPI could work effectively and lay the groundwork for a future UN resolution. 

Webcast link 

Venue: Conference Room 2, UNHQ
 
14:30–15:30
NGIC panel 3 – debt, development and future of emerging economies

For many developing and emerging economies, the debate about the future international order is not abstract. It is experienced through debt-service payments, restricted fiscal space, inadequate infrastructure, unemployment, food insecurity and the enormous financing requirements of development and climate adaptation.

Venue: Harvard Club
 
Thursday 24 September
08:00–09:30
High-Level Breakfast Side Event and Round-Table Discussion "From Forerunner to Future-Maker: A transformed Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS for a Sustainable Global HIV Response" 

Co-hosted by the Governments of Botswana, the Netherlands, and UNAIDSThe objective of this event is to showcase how a transformed Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS - as part of the UN80 reforms - remains fit for purpose to mobilize political and financial support and accountability for the global HIV response.

Venue: Labouisse Hall, 3 UN Plaza
 
Friday 25 September
 
15:00–17:00
High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (PPPR) – thematic panel 2

Equitable access through sustainability and predictability: capacities and financing for strengthened pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.

Venue: UNHQ
UN Web TV

When Victor* came to Club Eney in Kyiv, a community-led organization supporting people affected by HIV and other vulnerable communities, he was distressed and exhausted. He had lost his job, could no longer afford medical consultations or medicines, and was frightened by worsening health problems. 

The peer-consultant told him that help was available, and referred Victor for a free medical consultation, helping him obtain the medicines he needed. 

Victor’s experience is familiar to community workers across Ukraine. War and displacement are placing people under multiple pressures at once - loss of income, disrupted access to health care, transport difficulties and the daily struggle to meet basic needs. In 2026, an estimated 10.8 million people in Ukraine require humanitarian assistance, while 3.7 million remain internally displaced, many for years. 

For people affected by HIV, these pressures can make it much harder to continue treatment and stay connected to care. 

As the full-scale war in Ukraine continues into its fifth year, repeated attacks are damaging health facilities and critical infrastructure and disrupting essential services. Power outages, damaged transport links and prolonged displacement are adding to the barriers people face in accessing HIV and other health services. 

To help address these challenges, UNAIDS is expanding it’s Humanitarian Emergency Programme in Ukraine, together with UNODC and with more than US$6 million with support from the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. 

“Addressing HIV remains a priority for the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and our partnership with UNAIDS is an important part of this work, both in Ukraine and globally,” said Robert Dekker, Head of the Political Section at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine. “The Netherlands is currently UNAIDS’ largest donor. Each year through 2029, our country will provide €18.2 million to support UNAIDS programmes worldwide.”  

Working through 15 Ukrainian community-based organizations across 13 regions, particularly frontline areas and regions hosting large numbers of internally displaced people, the programme links humanitarian assistance with access to HIV treatment and other health services, mental health and psychosocial support, temporary accommodation and essential social services. 

“Those of us working on the ground, directly with communities, understand well what people need and what kind of support can genuinely make a difference in their lives. And this is exactly what the funding is directed towards,” said Alla Khodak, Chair of the Board of 100% Life, Odesa, an organization that supports people living with HIV. “People’s needs in Odesa, Dnipro and Kharkiv are different, and the support provided through the Humanitarian Emergency Programme reflects those differences. It is adapted to the realities of each region. This is both important and valuable.” 

The programme aims to help 40,000 people maintain or regain access to life-saving HIV services, provide humanitarian assistance to 60,000 people and reach 20,000 people with mental health and psychosocial support. 

“This programme builds on the resilience that communities, health workers and partners across Ukraine have demonstrated throughout the war, continuing to provide vital support to people even in the most difficult circumstances,” said Eamonn Murphy, UNAIDS Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. 

Beyond meeting immediate humanitarian needs, the programme will also strengthen the community systems and partnerships at local level that have helped sustain HIV treatment, care and other essential services throughout the war. 

“We are deeply grateful to the Government and people of the Netherlands for this support. We are equally grateful to our Ukrainian organizations working alongside people every day and who understand the needs of their communities best,” said Gabriela Ionașcu, Director of the UNAIDS Country Office in Ukraine. “From the outset, this programme has been built around the real needs of people. Our priority is to ensure that international support translates into practical assistance where it is needed most.” 

As another winter approaches and pressure on health, social services and civilians continues, keeping people connected to the care and assistance they need is more critical than ever. 

*Name changed for confidentiality

For more than 15 years, UNAIDS and WHO have convened governments, manufacturers, financing partners, communities and technical agencies in Geneva for one purpose: making sure the medicines, diagnostics and prevention products needed for the HIV, TB and hepatitis responses are produced in sufficient quantities and reach countries at prices they can afford. From 15 to 18 September, UNAIDS jointly with WHO and Unitaid will once again convene their annual consultation with pharmaceutical and diagnostics manufacturers, partner organizations and national governments.

The meeting arrives at a pivotal moment for the global HIV response as international funding declines and countries take on a greater share of the cost of their own responses. In 2025, domestic sources accounted for 59% of the US$ 17.6 billion invested in the HIV response in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Almost 74% of antiretroviral spending is already covered by domestic spending in LMICs, and just over 52% of antiretroviral spending in Eastern and Southern Africa specifically.

From inception, the consultation has served as one of the few forums where demand forecasts, financing realities and market dynamics can be discussed together. Its discussions have informed demand forecasting, improved visibility of market trends, supported the introduction of new technologies and contributed to efforts to increase affordability and strengthen supply security. Over the years, the meeting has evolved alongside the epidemic itself, moving from early conversations about scaling up treatment to today's priorities: sustainable financing, long-acting prevention technologies and regional manufacturing.

“Reliable financing, procurement and demand intelligence help countries and manufacturers anticipate needs, plan investments and expand access to new and existing health products,” said Jaime Atienza, Director, Sustainability, Financing and Economics at UNAIDS.

Nowhere is that shift clearer than in HIV prevention. While treatment programmes are increasingly funded from domestic budgets, many prevention interventions remain heavily dependent on external support — PrEP chief among them. Demand for oral and long-acting PrEP options is expected to rise sharply in the coming years as more countries expand access and ensuring that financing and procurement systems can keep pace with that growth is set to be a central theme of this year's discussions.

UNAIDS role

UNAIDS brings three things to the table. Data — gathered through the Global AIDS Monitoring framework, AIDS financing analyses and epidemiological monitoring — establishes the baseline numbers that guide the forecasting work. Convening power brings governments, manufacturers, donors and communities into the same room, alongside WHO and Unitaid. And market intelligence, drawn from UNAIDS' global targets, forecasts and projections of future demand for HIV medicines and prevention technologies, gives manufacturers and financing institutions an essential baseline scenario on which to build alternative forecasts.

Communities remain essential partners in ensuring that financing and market decisions translate into equitable access on the ground. Their participation keeps the discussions grounded in the realities faced by people living with HIV and by populations at higher risk of acquiring the virus.

As governments, manufacturers, financing institutions and communities gather in Geneva this week, the objective is straightforward: to keep lifesaving HIV medicines, diagnostics and prevention products affordable, available and accessible to everyone who needs them. At a moment of significant financial transition and new product introductions, cooperation across sectors will be essential to sustaining the progress made so far and to advancing the goals of the Global AIDS Strategy.

Contact

For more information please contact UNAIDS technical focal point Deepak Mattur, Senior Adviser, Resource Tracking at UNAIDS - MatturD[at]unaids.org