The global fight against HIV is at risk of losing decades of progress after international funding fell sharply last year, according to a new report by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
Released on Monday at the International AIDS Conference in Brazil, the report warned that the world could face a resurgence of the HIV epidemic unless governments and international donors renew their commitment to combating the disease.
UNAIDS said international HIV funding dropped 18% to US$7.3 billion in 2025, the lowest level in nearly two decades. Overall HIV resources declined by 6%, with increased domestic spending by some countries only partially offsetting the loss of foreign aid.
The agency noted that the United States previously contributed around 75% of global international HIV funding. However, after returning to office in January 2025, President Donald Trump temporarily suspended all HIV-related funding before restoring support for life-saving treatment days later. Most HIV prevention programmes, however, remained significantly reduced.
According to UNAIDS, the funding cuts threaten to reverse years of progress that have brought new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths to their lowest levels in more than 30 years.
The report also said the global goal of ending AIDS by 2030 is no longer on track, with reduced funding and other health crises, including Ebola outbreaks, slowing progress. Around 1.2 million people were newly infected with HIV last year.
The impact has been particularly severe in sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for about half of all new HIV infections worldwide. Some of the largest reductions in prevention spending were recorded in the region.
National data from Cameroon, Nigeria and Zambia showed that the number of people receiving pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) had fallen by more than 50%.
UNAIDS warned that disruptions to HIV funding have significantly affected prevention, testing and community-based treatment services, placing millions of vulnerable people at greater risk and jeopardising global efforts to end the epidemic.
