GENEVA/JOHANNESBURG, 10 July 2025—UNAIDS today launched its 2025 Global AIDS Update, AIDS, Crisis and the Power to Transform, which shows that a historic funding crisis is threatening to unravel decades of progress unless countries can make radical shifts to HIV programming and funding.

The report highlights the impact that the sudden, large-scale funding cuts from international donors are having on countries most affected by HIV. Yet it also showcases some inspiring examples of resilience, with countries and communities stepping up in the face of adversity to protect the gains made and drive the HIV response forward.

Some 25 of the 60 low and middle-income countries included in the report have indicated increases in domestic budgets for their HIV responses in 2026. The estimated collective rise among the 25 countries amounts to 8% over current levels, translating to approximately USD 180 million in additional domestic resources. This is promising, but not sufficient to replace the scale of international funding in countries that are heavily reliant.

A global emergency: massive cuts and weakening of aid consensus threaten to reverse progress

Despite marked progress in the HIV response in 2024, the weakening aid consensus and significant and abrupt funding shortfalls in the HIV response in 2025 have triggered widespread disruption across health systems and cuts to frontline health workers—halting HIV prevention programmes and jeopardizing HIV treatment services.

In Mozambique alone, over 30 000 health personnel were affected. In Nigeria, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) initiation has plummeted from 40 000 to 6000 people per month. If US-supported HIV treatment and prevention services collapse entirely, UNAIDS estimates that an additional 6 million new HIV infections, and 4 million additional AIDS-related deaths could occur between 2025 and 2029.

“This is not just a funding gap—it’s a ticking time bomb,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima. “We have seen services vanish overnight. Health workers have been sent home. And people—especially children and key populations—are being pushed out of care.”

Even before the large-scale service disruptions, the reported data for 2024 shows that 9.2 million people living with HIV were still not accessing life-saving treatment services last year. Among those were 620 000 children aged 0—14 years living with HIV but not on treatment which contributed to 75 000 AIDS-related deaths among children in 2024.

In 2024, 630 000 people died from AIDS-related causes, 61% of them in sub-Saharan Africa. Over 210 000 adolescent girls and young women aged 15—24 acquired HIV in 2024—an average of 570 new infections every day.

HIV prevention services are severely disrupted. Community-led services, which are vital to reaching marginalized populations, are being defunded at alarming rates. In early 2025, over 60% of women-led HIV organizations surveyed had lost funding or were forced to suspend services. The United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) reached 2.3 million adolescent girls and young women with comprehensive HIV prevention services in 2024 and enabled 2.5 million people to use HIV PrEP—many of these programmes have now stopped completely.

Meanwhile, the rise in punitive laws criminalizing same-sex relationships, gender identity, and drug use is amplifying the crisis, making HIV services inaccessible. Countries like Uganda, Mali and Trinidad and Tobago have seen recent harmful and discriminatory changes to their criminal laws targeting key populations, pushing them further from care and dramatically raising their risk of acquiring HIV.

A beacon of hope: countries and communities are stepping up to protect essential HIV treatment gains and progress is being made

South Africa currently funds 77% of its AIDS response and its 2025 budget review includes a 5.9% annual increase in health expenditure over the next three years, including a 3.3% annual increase for HIV and tuberculosis programmes. The government intends to finance the development of a patient information system, a centralized chronic medicine dispensing and distribution system, and a facility medicine stock surveillance system.

As of December 2024, seven countries—Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, Rwanda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—had achieved the 95-95-95 targets: 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those are on treatment, and 95% of those on treatment are virally suppressed. These successes must be maintained and further scaled up.

The report also highlights the emergence of unprecedented, highly effective new prevention tools like long-acting injectable PrEP, including Lenacapavir, which has shown near-complete efficacy in clinical trials—though affordability and access remain key challenges.

“There is still time to transform this crisis into an opportunity,” said Ms. Byanyima. “Countries are stepping up with domestic funding. Communities are showing what works. We now need global solidarity to match their courage and resilience.”

A call for solidarity 

The 2025 Global AIDS Update concludes with an urgent call: the global HIV response cannot rely on domestic resources alone. The international community must come together to bridge the financing gap, support countries to close the remaining gaps in HIV prevention and treatment services, remove legal and social barriers, and empower communities to lead the way forward.

UNAIDS emphasizes that every dollar invested in the HIV response not only saves lives but strengthens health systems and promotes broader development goals. Since the start of the epidemic, 26.9 million deaths have been averted through treatment, and 4.4 million children protected from HIV infection through vertical transmission prevention.

“In a time of crisis, the world must choose transformation over retreat,” said Ms Byanyima. “Together, we can still end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030—if we act with urgency, unity, and unwavering commitment.”

UNAIDS report is being launched ahead of the Scientific AIDS Conference IAS 2025 taking place in Kigali, Rwanda, from 13-17 July 2025.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

GENEVA, 4 July 2025—It is with profound sadness that UNAIDS learns of the passing of the former Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr David Mabuza.

I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Deputy President Mabuza. In 2019, I had the honour of launching the World AIDS Day Report alongside him in South Africa. It was immediately evident that his support was not simply a matter of policy, it was personal, grounded in a long history of community-based advocacy and inclusive leadership.

As Chair of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), Deputy President Mabuza was a key figure in advancing the country’s national response to HIV and tuberculosis. I was personally moved and assured by his unwavering commitment to ending AIDS as a public health threat. He consistently demonstrated compassion, clarity, and political will, particularly in tackling the deeply entrenched stigma and discrimination faced by people living with HIV.

Even before ascending to the role of Deputy President, he had laid strong foundations for health equity and social justice at provincial level and beyond.

Deputy President Mabuza’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic also reinforced his dedication to ensuring access to health services for all, including key and vulnerable populations affected by HIV. Under his stewardship, SANAC continued to drive multisectoral efforts aligned to South Africa’s National Strategic Plan on HIV, TB, and STIs.

His legacy is one of dignity, inclusion, and action. On behalf of UNAIDS, I extend our deepest condolences to his family, colleagues in government and civil society, and the people of South Africa. We honour his life and recommit ourselves to the vision he championed: a world free of AIDS, where no one is left behind.

Winnie Byanyima
Executive Director, UNAIDS

Borey and Sophea have both used PrEP—a medicine taken every day to avoid contracting HIV. But while this solution has worked, it was not a perfect fit.

Due to his active professional and personal life, Borey sometimes forgot to pack his pills.

“This makes it easy to miss doses, especially when I have unplanned sexual encounters,” he said.

Sophea, a female entertainment worker, is more concerned about her HIV risk with her intimate partner than at work where she uses condoms.

“I don’t fully trust that he is monogamous… he may have other partners. So, it is important for me to protect myself,” she explained.

Still, she says she’s become tired of taking a pill every day for the last six months.

Borey and Sophia are among the first clients in Cambodia to begin long-acting injectable Cabotegravir (CAB-LA), a PrEP formulation administered every two months. With this initiative, Cambodia has become a frontrunner in the Asia Pacific region to roll out long-acting PrEP.

This HIV prevention tool is aimed primarily at groups of key populations at higher risk of HIV infection including men who have sex with men, transgender women, female entertainment workers, people who inject drugs, and couples with one HIV-positive and one HIV-negative partner. This solution is being prioritized for individuals who face challenges with daily pill adherence, those with frequent risk exposure, and those who prefer a more discrete prevention method.

“Offering multiple PrEP options enhances our ability to meet the diverse needs of individuals at risk of HIV,” explained Ouk Vichea, Director of the National Center for HIV/AIDS Dermatology and STD (NCHADS). “Not everyone is comfortable with, or able to adhere, to a daily oral regimen. CAB-LA provides a long-acting alternative that can improve adherence and reduce stigma.”

Offering diverse and innovative HIV prevention solutions is a key strategy as Cambodia embarks on what it hopes is the final chapter towards ending AIDS as a public health threat. The country has made great progress, providing treatment to almost all people it diagnoses and achieving viral suppression among more than 98% of people on antiretroviral therapy.

However, HIV prevention remains a challenge. Every day three people are newly infected with HIV. Nine of every ten new infections occur among people from key population communities (88%). Almost half of new infections (44%) are among young people while 79% are among men.

As a young, gay man, Borey is aware of the risks and welcomes a solution he considers to be more user-friendly.

“With CAB-LA, I don’t have to worry about remembering to take a pill every day. It gives me peace of mind and helps me stay prepared and protected. It fits well with my lifestyle because I have multiple partners and don’t always feel trust. CAB-LA makes things easier, especially in situations where sex is unplanned,” he said.

NCHADS ensures that counseling is client-centered and focuses on providing clear, non-judgmental information about all available PrEP options.

“We discuss the benefits, potential side effects, dosing schedules, and how each option fits into the client’s lifestyle. We also assess their risk profile, preferences, and any barriers they may face. The goal is to support informed decision-making and ensure clients feel confident and comfortable with their choice,” Mr Ouk said.

Patricia Ongpin, UNAIDS Country Director to Cambodia, Lao PDR and Malaysia stressed the importance of choice.

“We should present people with options and ask what fits their lives. When we pair people with suitable prevention solutions, they are more likely to be consistent,” she said.

NCHADS is exploring several innovative approaches to strengthen HIV prevention. One key development is the upcoming launch of the dapivirine vaginal ring-PrEP (DVR-PrEP). This will offer women a long-acting prevention method they can control. Cambodia will be the first country in the region to make this option available.

In addition, the clinic will expand the use of digital tools for adherence support, and community-led delivery models to increase accessibility and trust. They continue to monitor advancements in next-generation PrEP products, including future injectable and implantable options, to ensure the most effective and client-centered prevention tools are available to the people who need them most.