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