Nearly 40% fewer people received HIV prevention drugs in 2025
The UN has said that funding cuts have sharply reduced access to HIV prevention medicines across 62 countries. The agency warned that discrimination and weaker testing could deepen the crisis.
Global funding cuts are severely disrupting HIV prevention efforts, with nearly 1.2 million fewer people receiving medicines that help prevent HIV infection in 2025 compared to the previous year, according to early data released by UNAIDS.
The agency reported that across 62 countries, including Nigeria, Cameroon and Uganda, around 2.1 million people received pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) at least once in 2025, down from 3.3 million in 2024.
This marks a 38% decline in access to the preventive medication.
PrEP is taken by people who do not have HIV but are at high risk of contracting the virus. When used correctly, it can significantly reduce the risk of infection. Funding for condoms, another key HIV prevention tool, also dropped by more than 90% in some countries.
Calling the situation one of the biggest setbacks in decades, UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima warned that HIV services are experiencing their most serious disruption since the global response to the epidemic began.
She said funding cuts, combined with growing restrictions and discrimination against key populations, particularly LGBTQ communities, could lead to more infections and deaths in the coming years if urgent action is not taken.
Although new HIV infections fell slightly in 2025, dropping by about 100,000 to 1.2 million worldwide, UNAIDS cautioned that the true picture remains unclear as HIV testing declined by 22% in some high-burden countries.
Despite challenges to prevention efforts, treatment programmes continued to expand. By the end of 2025, around 32.1 million people were receiving antiretroviral therapy, a 2.7% increase from the previous year.
UNAIDS said increased domestic spending by several countries had helped prevent the worst-case scenario feared after funding cuts began. However, the agency expressed concern over the closure of community-based organisations that have long formed the backbone of HIV prevention and care.
The findings were released ahead of a high-level United Nations meeting on HIV/AIDS later this month in New York.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Global funding cuts are severely disrupting HIV prevention efforts, with nearly 1.2 million fewer people receiving medicines that help prevent HIV infection in 2025 compared to the previous year, according to early data released by UNAIDS.
The agency reported that across 62 countries, including Nigeria, Cameroon and Uganda, around 2.1 million people received pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) at least once in 2025, down from 3.3 million in 2024.
This marks a 38% decline in access to the preventive medication.
PrEP is taken by people who do not have HIV but are at high risk of contracting the virus. When used correctly, it can significantly reduce the risk of infection. Funding for condoms, another key HIV prevention tool, also dropped by more than 90% in some countries.
Calling the situation one of the biggest setbacks in decades, UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima warned that HIV services are experiencing their most serious disruption since the global response to the epidemic began.
She said funding cuts, combined with growing restrictions and discrimination against key populations, particularly LGBTQ communities, could lead to more infections and deaths in the coming years if urgent action is not taken.
Although new HIV infections fell slightly in 2025, dropping by about 100,000 to 1.2 million worldwide, UNAIDS cautioned that the true picture remains unclear as HIV testing declined by 22% in some high-burden countries.
Despite challenges to prevention efforts, treatment programmes continued to expand. By the end of 2025, around 32.1 million people were receiving antiretroviral therapy, a 2.7% increase from the previous year.
UNAIDS said increased domestic spending by several countries had helped prevent the worst-case scenario feared after funding cuts began. However, the agency expressed concern over the closure of community-based organisations that have long formed the backbone of HIV prevention and care.
The findings were released ahead of a high-level United Nations meeting on HIV/AIDS later this month in New York.
(With inputs from Reuters)
