World could end new HIV infections by 2030 if we act now

A UN report has found that the world can hit targets to end new HIV transmissions by 2030, but only if governments act immediately. 

The UNAIDS report, published on Monday (22 July), revealed that while some countries are on track to end new transmissions, other nations are falling short, with a lack of funding, discriminatory laws and stigma stalling success on prevention. 

The report highlighted successes, showing that fewer people acquired HIV in 2023 than at any point since the late 1980s. It also found that almost 31 million people worldwide were receiving life-saving antiretroviral therapy in 2023, meaning Aids-related deaths are at their lowest level since the peak in 2004. 

These successes, the report claimed, had led to a “rebound” in average life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa from 56.3 years old n 2010 to 61.1 in 2023. 

The report described successes as “uneven”, however, stating that some key demographics are not being reached by prevention services, with people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men and trans people being “particularly neglected”. 

It also said that issues such as “harmful criminalising laws”, a “widening funding gap” in low and middle-income countries, and stigma could be reasons why progress is not as quick as needed.

One of the ways the report mentioned as a key to success was the use of Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

There was a large increase in people using the medication – 200,000 people took it orally in 2017, about 3.5 million in 2023 – but these numbers still fell “far short” of the global target of 21.2 million by 2025.

“While progress has been made in providing HIV treatment to over 30 million people, much more effort and urgency is required to accelerate prevention and break down the barriers that keep people, especially marginalised people, from both HIV prevention and treatment services,” the report said. 

Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of UNAIDS, described ending new HIV transmissions as a “political and financial choice”, and pointed out that the cost of not ending Aids is “exponentially higher than the cost of ending it”.

She went on to say: “Leader’s actions now will determine if we succeed in ending Aids by 2030, or fall short. We must tackle discrimination and stigma pushing marginalised people away from healthcare.

“Leaders who choose this path will prevent millions of new infections, save millions of lives, ensure healthy lives for those living with HIV and keep everyone safe.”

“Anti-rights, anti-gender and anti-democracy policies are creating fear among those who need HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care.

The UK’s progress on HIV/Aids

Regarding the UK’s progress, a government report in June 2023 claimed the country was on track to meet its goals, and that new HIV transmissions in England have fallen by almost a third since 2019. 

The report, described as “hugely encouraging”, added that diagnoses of Aids had fallen by over a fifth in the same period. But experts have warned that government policy may hinder progress, insisting that the country will only hit its goals if PrEP is made more widely accessible. 

Claire Dewsnap, the president of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, told PinkNews in 2022: “If you want this to happen, you’re going to have to think of a national strategy with appropriate funding for localised improved testing and in particular reducing late diagnosis rates.

“The second thing that’s got to happen is you have to increase access to sexual services and make PrEP available outside sexual health services. For that to happen, there is going to have to be some kind of strategy. It’s not going to happen on its own.”

To learn more about HIV and Aids research, testing and treatment, visit amFAR or the Terrence Higgins Trust.