The recent data from UNAIDS indicates a troubling trend in HIV prevention efforts, revealing that nearly 1.2 million fewer individuals received pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in 2025 compared to the previous year. This marks a dramatic decline of approximately 38 per cent, with the total number of recipients falling to about 2.1 million in 2025, down from 3.3 million in 2024. This reduction occurred across 62 countries, including notable regions such as Nigeria, Cameroon, and Uganda.

PrEP is a medication made available to people who are at high risk of contracting HIV but who do not currently have the virus. Utilising PrEP properly can significantly lower the chances of infection, making its availability critical in regions heavily impacted by the epidemic.

Funding Cuts and Their Consequences

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima has described the current situation as one of the most severe setbacks in HIV prevention in recent decades. Funding cuts are heavily impacting essential services, with reports indicating a greater than 90 per cent drop in funding for condoms in some nations. Byanyima has noted that the combination of funding reductions and increasing discrimination against key populations, especially LGBTQ communities, poses a significant risk for rising infection rates and fatalities in the near future.

Compounding the challenge, new HIV infections witnessed a slight decrease in 2025, with approximately 1.2 million reported cases worldwide—a reduction of about 100,000 from the previous year. Despite this drop, UNAIDS has cautioned that the prevailing circumstances surrounding testing have deteriorated, with reductions of 22 per cent in testing conducted within several high-burden countries. This suggests that the overall understanding of the epidemic’s scale may remain obscured.

While prevention initiatives face challenges, treatment programmes have reportedly continued to expand. By the end of 2025, an estimated 32.1 million individuals were receiving antiretroviral therapy, representing a 2.7 per cent increase from 2024. This growth highlights ongoing efforts to address the epidemic despite the adversities faced in prevention funding.

Concerns Over Community-Based Organisations

UNAIDS has expressed alarm regarding the potential long-term ramifications of these funding cuts, especially concerning the closure of community-based organisations that have historically served as crucial pillars in HIV prevention and care. These organisations facilitate outreach, education, and support, and their decline could significantly undermine the effectiveness of existing programmes.

In a context marked by funding challenges, some nations have begun to increase domestic spending, which UNAIDS credits with averting the most dire projections that emerged following the onset of funding reductions. Nevertheless, sustained efforts and renewed funding will be vital to ensure that prevention measures can reach vulnerable populations moving forward.

The findings from UNAIDS are releasing ahead of a high-level meeting on HIV/AIDS hosted by the United Nations later this month in New York. This meeting will provide an opportunity for global leaders to address the ongoing challenges and to consider strategies to enhance funding and support for both prevention and treatment efforts related to HIV.

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