The head of UNAids has warned that funding cuts and increasing repression of human rights are making the resurgence of an HIV epidemic more likely. Winnie Byanyima, executive director of the UN agency tackling Aids, described the situation as the biggest disruption since the global HIV response was established, posing a major threat to progress achieved.
Record Lows but Rising Risks
Although the annual number of new HIV infections and deaths from Aids-related causes are at record lows, a new UN report warns of a significant risk of resurgence unless there is renewed commitment and action. Last year, 570,000 Aids-related deaths were recorded, along with 1.2 million new HIV infections.
Sharp Decline in Testing
The report found that amid an unprecedented fall in aid spending of about 23%, testing for HIV dropped sharply in 2025 in countries with the highest levels of the virus. In one programme, testing fell by 22% compared to the previous year. Byanyima stated that this means people do not know they are HIV positive, continue transmitting the virus, and new infections will rise. She added that more people may die because they do not seek treatment early enough.
Prevention Services Hit Hard
Prevention services, such as condom distribution and medication to protect against infection, were also severely affected by aid cuts. Byanyima noted that these services were already underfunded, receiving only 11% of HIV spending in low- and middle-income countries in 2024. Now, money for prevention is disappearing completely. New domestic funding does not match the scale of losses and tends to focus on treatment rather than prevention. She predicted rising new infections and increasing deaths from HIV-related illness in the coming years.
Repressive Laws and Civil Society
The report found that the number of countries with new or more restrictive laws against same-sex relations continues to increase, risking decades of progress and pushing away those who need services most. Byanyima highlighted laws that reduce civic space, such as Uganda's sovereignty bill, which restricts external funding for civil society groups and their ability to operate.
Community-led organisations that provide HIV services to vulnerable groups are disappearing. A survey of 79 such organisations across 47 countries found an 85% reduction in services for men who have sex with men and an 82% reduction for sex workers, both groups at highest risk from HIV.
Opportunities Amid Threats
Byanyima noted opportunities, including new prevention methods like the twice-yearly injectable drug lenacapavir, but stressed they need to be scaled up significantly to bend the curve. UNAids itself has been affected by Trump administration funding cuts, and the UN secretary general has proposed sunsetting the agency by year-end. Byanyima said a working group will present proposals to the UNAids board in October, foreseeing a much smaller joint programme dispersed within the UN but retaining a hub to lead global efforts.
