World AIDS Day

This side event will examine the urgent need to ensure continuous and equitable access to life-saving HIV treatment across Africa, particularly in the face of evolving funding challenges, fragile health systems, and persistent barriers to care. Guided by the principle of "With Africa, In Africa ," the discussion will highlight the importance of local leadership, community-based responses, and sustainable international partnerships in advancing the HIV response. Despite significant global progress in HIV prevention and treatment, access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains uneven, particularly in parts of Africa and other highly affected regions. Fragile health systems, funding constraints, conflict, stigma, and disruptions to treatment delivery continue to prevent many people living with HIV from receiving consistent care. Recent challenges affecting international HIV/AIDS assistance programmes have further underscored the need to safeguard treatment access ...

  On World AIDS Day , the World Health Organization (WHO)  is calling on governments and partners to rapidly expand access to new WHO-approved tools including lenacapavir (LEN) to drive down infections and counter disruption to essential health services caused by cuts to foreign aid. Despite dramatic funding setbacks, the global HIV response has gained a remarkable momentum in 2025 with the introduction and WHO approval of twice-yearly injectable lenacapavir for HIV prevention. LEN, a highly effective, long-acting alternative to oral pills and other options, is a transformative intervention for people who face challenges with regular adherence and stigma in accessing health care. WHO released in July this year new guidelines recommending the use of lenacapavir as an additional pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option for HIV prevention. Sharp and sudden reductions in international funding this year led to disruptions in HIV prevention, treatment and testing services, with es...