Incredible progress has been made in the fight against HIV and AIDS since the peak of the epidemic in 2004. However, progress has slowed, new infections persist and funding constraints threaten to reverse hard-won gains. The global HIV response is at a crossroads, and renewed action is urgently needed to reach people being left behind and sustain progress toward ending HIV as a global health threat.
41 million
Worldwide, 41 million people are living with HIV – nearly one fourth do not access treatment
1.3 million
Each year, 1.3 million people contract HIV
3 times
Young women aged 15-24 in sub-Saharan Africa are 3 times more likely to acquire HIV than their male peers
7 minutes
A child dies of an AIDS-related illness every seven minutes
It is estimated that an additional 2,300 new HIV infections are now being acquired each day on top of the 3,500 daily infections that were already occurring prior to funding cuts, which is projected to result in an additional 6.6 million additional new infections by 2029. Even prior to funding cuts, progress on new infections had stalled and was reversing in certain regions. Every week of 2024, more than 4,000 adolescent girls and young women acquired HIV, 3300 of which were in sub-Saharan Africa. Across other regions, key populations – including gay men and other men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who inject drugs and transgender people – account for a growing share of new infections. 2023 marked the first year that more than half of new injections occurred outside of sub-Saharan Africa.
An estimated 5.3 million people living with HIV do not know their status, delaying access to life-saving treatment and prevention. Stigma, discrimination, limited testing options and distance from services continue to prevent many people from accessing timely diagnosis, particularly among adolescents, men and key populations. Moreover, only half of children living with HIV receive a timely diagnosis and treatment, compared with three-quarters of adults.
While highly effective HIV tools exist, new prevention options, diagnostics and treatments can take many years to reach people in low- and middle-income countries. High prices, limited supply, slow adoption and regulatory delays mean game-changing products often fail to reach those at highest risk, limiting their impact on new infections and deaths.
People who present late to care with advanced HIV disease are at high risk of opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis, cryptococcal meningitis and histoplasmosis, which remain major causes of preventable illness and death. Tuberculosis causes roughly one third of AIDS-related deaths worldwide. Women living with HIV are six times more likely to develop cervical cancer, with the vast majority of deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries.
From best-in-class treatments to rapid diagnostics and next-generation prevention options, we have helped bring critical HIV tools to people faster and at lower cost.
We work with governments, communities, civil society, researchers, manufacturers, donors and global health partners to identify breakthrough HIV tools and remove access barriers, so they can be scaled quickly and affordably. Our HIV and coinfections work focuses on:
By combining market shaping, real-world research, rapid adoption, and partnerships with communities and countries, we help ensure life-saving HIV innovations reach the people who need them most – fast.
People living with HIV are at greater risk of contracting – and suffering the worst outcomes from – a number of opportunistic infections. Learn more about how we’re tackling these convergent health challenges.
