WASHINGTON – Today, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) launched a new report which finds that HIV/AIDS can be ended by 2030 – but only with continued effort from world leaders to keep up the fight. 

New data from the report ‘The Path that Ends AIDS’ shows that significant progress has been made to combat HIV/AIDS since the peak of the epidemic, with the number of new HIV infections globally in 2022 dropping to its lowest point in decades.

And still: 630,000 people died from this preventable disease in 2022, equivalent to more than one life claimed every minute. In some regions and countries new HIV infections are rising and funding for HIV from both international and domestic sources in 2022 fell to 2013 levels to $20.8 billion, far short of the $29.3 billion needed by 2025. 

In response to the UNAIDS report, Tom Hart, President of the ONE Campaign, said:

“This serves as a stark reminder that the world could end AIDS if it chose to. We have the tools, resources, and knowhow to make it happen but there’s not the will to see it through. The global community is still taking their foot off the accelerator, leaving the most vulnerable to pay the highest price for this lack of ambition. 

“However, it is encouraging to see that more countries, particularly those in Sub-Saharan Africa, are making serious progress in the fight against AIDS. But until local progress is matched by global determination, where people live will continue to determine whether they live.

“There is a clear path to ending AIDS as a public health threat by the end of the decade. Making that a reality will depend upon renewed political commitment and investment from all governments.”

Multilateral and bilateral programs like the Global Fund and the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) have played a significant role in our success against HIV/AIDS. PEPFAR, which marks its twentieth anniversary in 2023, has helped save 25 million lives and ensure 5.5 million babies were born HIV-free. 

According to the UNAIDS report, new child HIV infections in PEPFAR-supported countries decreased from 1.7 million in 2010 to 820,000 in 2022, and AIDS-related deaths decreased by 59% over the same time period. PEPFAR needs to be reauthorized by Congress this year so it can continue its life-saving work. 

Watch: ONE CEO Gayle Smith speaks to Axios about PEPFAR’s role in a storied legacy of US global leadership. 

The current state of the HIV/AIDS fight: 

• 39 million people were living with HIV in 2022. 
• 630,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2022, a 69% decrease from the peak in 2004. 
• 29.8 million people were accessing antiretroviral therapy in 2022, up from 7.7 million in 2010.
• 1.3 million people became newly infected with HIV, a 59% decrease since the peak in 1995

Head to data.one.org for the latest info and trends in the global HIV response.