Eradicating AIDS boils down to a critical “political and financial choice” even as UNAIDS highlights a definitive path to ending AIDS by 2030, necessitating strong political leadership, adherence to scientific evidence, addressing inequalities, and securing sustainable funding.
Several countries, including Botswana, Eswatini, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, have already achieved the “95-95-95” targets, signifying significant progress in HIV control. These targets entail ensuring that 95 percent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 percent of those aware of their HIV-positive status receive life-saving antiretroviral treatment, and 95 percent of individuals in treatment achieve viral suppression.
Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS’ Executive Director, urges today’s leaders to seize the opportunity to save millions of lives and be remembered for putting an end to the deadliest pandemic in history.
THE PROGRESS
Notably, progress has been most remarkable in countries and regions that have dedicated substantial resources to combating HIV/AIDS, resulting in a 57 percent reduction in new HIV infections in eastern and southern Africa since 2010. Efforts to end AIDS among children have also yielded positive results, with 82 percent of pregnant and breastfeeding women globally accessing antiretroviral treatment in 2022, compared to 46 percent in 2010. During the same period, new HIV infections among children have decreased by 58 percent, reaching the lowest number since the 1980s.
Furthermore, progress has been reinforced by ensuring that legal and policy frameworks protect human rights rather than undermine them. Several countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, the Cook Islands, Barbados, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Singapore, have decriminalized same-sex relations. The number of people on antiretroviral treatment worldwide has increased nearly fourfold, from 7.7 million in 2010 to 29.8 million in 2022.
CHALLENGES
However, despite the progress, substantial challenges remain on the path to ending AIDS by 2030. The disease claimed a life every minute last year, and approximately 9.2 million people, including 660,000 children living with HIV, still lack access to treatment. Women and girls, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, continue to bear a disproportionate burden, with around 4,000 new infections occurring among young women and girls every week in 2022.
Obtaining sufficient funding to meet the challenge is also proving difficult, with an overall decline in funding from both domestic and international sources last year. The available funding amounted to $20.8 billion, falling far short of the $29.3 billion needed by 2025.
While cautious optimism exists, UNAIDS underscores the need for immediate action to seize the opportunity for success. The facts and figures presented in the report indicate that the world can achieve the goal of ending AIDS by 2030, but concerted efforts are essential. The path is clear, and urgent action is crucial to achieving this critical global health objective.
While the goal of ending AIDS by 2030 is an ambitious and noble aspiration, a critical analysis reveals the need for continued efforts and increased resources to overcome the remaining challenges. Strong political leadership, sustained funding, and a comprehensive approach that addresses inequalities are imperative to make significant progress towards this objective. By critically evaluating the current strategies and addressing the identified weaknesses, we can work towards a future where AIDS is no longer a global health crisis.