A new report released by UNAIDS - a Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS - on Monday (July 17) said that AIDS can be ended by 2030. The report also explains how to prevent future pandemics and achieve the sustainable development goals. It shares data and examples of success to prove that ending AIDS is possible if countries and leaders make the right choices.
Titled ‘The Path that Ends AIDS’, it contains data and case studies that highlight ending AIDS as a political and financial choice, and the countries and leaders following this path are achieving extraordinary results.
Some countries like Botswana, Eswatini, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe have already reached the "95-95-95" targets. This means 95 percent of people with HIV know their status, 95 percent of them receive treatment, and 95 percent of those on treatment have the virus under control.
Another 16 countries, including eight in sub-Saharan Africa, are getting close to these targets.
"The end of AIDS is an opportunity for a uniquely powerful legacy for today’s leaders," said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. "They could be remembered by future generations as those who put a stop to the world’s deadliest pandemic. They could save millions of lives and protect the health of everyone. They could show what leadership can do."
The report shows that countries that invest more money usually make more progress against HIV. In eastern and southern Africa, where a lot of money has been spent, new HIV infections have gone down by 57 percent since 2010. It also mentions the success in treating pregnant and breastfeeding women with HIV.
In 2022, 82 percent of these women around the world got the treatment they needed. This has led to a 58 percent decrease in new HIV infections among children since 2010, the lowest number in many years.
To do even better, the report says countries must protect human rights and get rid of laws that hurt people. Five countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, and Singapore, have made progress by stopping the criminalization of same-sex relationships.
The number of people on antiretroviral treatment worldwide rose almost fourfold, from 7.7 million in 2010 to 29.8 million in 2022.
But ending AIDS won't happen on its own. In 2022, AIDS caused one death every minute, and 9.2 million people, including 660,000 children, still don't have access to treatment.
Women and girls, especially in Africa, are affected the most. Every week in 2022, 4,000 young women and girls got infected with HIV. Many areas in Africa don't have enough programs to prevent HIV in girls and young women.
Additionally, around 23 percent of new HIV infections occurred in Asia and the Pacific, signaling a concerning surge in some countries within the region. In eastern Europe and central Asia, there has been a staggering 49 percent increase in new infections since 2010.
Similarly, the Middle East and North Africa have witnessed a 61 percent rise in new infections during the same period. These alarming trends can be attributed mainly to the inadequate availability of HIV prevention services for marginalised and key populations, alongside the obstacles presented by punitive laws and social discrimination.
Funding to fight HIV has also gone down. In 2022, countries gave less money than before, reaching the same level as in 2013. Funding amounted to $ 20.8 billion in 2022, far short of the $ 29.3 billion needed by 2025.
Here are the numbers from 2022:
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