A decline that threatens millions of lives: World AIDS Day 2025 and the critical question of funding!
Falls on December 1, 2025, and this year’s theme carries a dire warning. After decades of remarkable progress in combating HIV and deploying antiretroviral therapy (ART) , the world faces a financial challenge that could undermine all efforts to eradicate the disease by 2030.
Grants are dwindling: Has the fight against AIDS become a priority?
Reports from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) indicate a worrying decline in international funding allocated to combating the disease. This decline raises questions about the extent to which major countries are committed to the Sustainable Development Goals related to health.
- Impact on access to treatment: More than 10 million people living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries face increasing difficulty in accessing free, life-saving treatment (ART) as a result of funding shortages.
- Prevention declines: Vital awareness and prevention programs are affected , especially among young people and communities most vulnerable to infection, threatening to increase new infection rates.
- Funding gap: The annual funding gap required to reach the 2030 goals is estimated at billions of dollars, hindering plans for expanded testing and universal care.
AIDS and contemporary global challenges
AIDS is no longer just a health issue, but a major developmental and economic challenge :
- Corona and the diversion of the course: The COVID-19 pandemic has diverted a large portion of global health and financial resources away from efforts to combat other chronic diseases, including AIDS.
- Stigma and discrimination: Despite medical advancements, social stigma remains a major obstacle to early diagnosis and treatment. Funding is essential to support programs aimed at eliminating stigma and discrimination.
- Goal 2030: The goal of eliminating AIDS is no longer out of reach, but it requires renewed political will and unwavering financial commitment.
Your role in supporting global efforts
On World AIDS Day 2025 , we call for increased awareness of the need for financial accountability and increased funding. Health must be a global priority, unaffected by economic fluctuations.
