UN Report Highlights Urgent Need to End AIDS Pandemic

At the International AIDS Conference in Munich, experts highlighted the urgent need for global efforts to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030, noting significant progress but recognizing ongoing challenges. Despite a 39% reduction in new infections since 2010, 1.3 million people were newly infected in 2023, surpassing the 370,000 target for 2025. A new UNAIDS report states that nearly a quarter of the 39.9 million people living with HIV are not receiving treatment, resulting in one AIDS-related death every minute. The report emphasizes the importance of protecting human rights and increasing resources to meet targets, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and those in low-income countries. Panelists underscored that political movements against LGBTQ+ rights could hinder progress, while integrated health strategies may improve care access. If leaders act decisively now, the number of people needing lifelong treatment could stabilize, but failure to do so may lead to an increase in cases to 46 million by 2050.