Global funding for HIV prevention and treatment fell by 18% to $7.3 billion in 2025, the lowest level in nearly two decades, according to a UNAIDS report. This decline, partly attributed to U.S. funding cuts, risks reversing progress made against the epidemic.
The significant drop in global HIV funding threatens to reverse decades of progress in combating the epidemic, potentially leading to a resurgence of infections and deaths, particularly in vulnerable regions like sub-Saharan Africa.
The world risks a resurgence of the HIV epidemic due to a nearly one-fifth drop in global funding last year, according to a report by UNAIDS. Funding fell by 18% to $7.3 billion in 2025, the lowest in almost two decades, jeopardizing decades of progress in combating the virus.
UNAIDS stated that the international community's "profound political and financial upheaval" threatens hard-won gains. The report, released at the start of an International AIDS conference in Brazil, warned that without renewed commitment, the world could see an HIV epidemic resurgence. This reduction in funding, alongside other crises, is hindering efforts to achieve the global goal of ending AIDS by 2030.
While some domestic spending increases partially offset foreign funding cuts, leading to an overall 6% decline in total HIV resources, not all governments could compensate. Sub-Saharan Africa, responsible for about half of new global infections, experienced significant spending cuts on prevention programs. National data from Cameroon, Nigeria, and Zambia indicated a more than 50% decrease in people receiving pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The report emphasized that these funding disruptions severely impacted HIV prevention, testing, and critical treatment components, including community-led services reaching affected populations.