Geneva — Unitaid’s HIV Disease Narrative 2019, launched on the occasion of World AIDS Day, provides a glimpse of what the future may look like for HIV innovation.

The report highlights products such as implants that release antiretrovirals for months at a time; rapid diagnostic tests for acute HIV infections; and medicines for sexually transmitted infections that do not respond to frequently used drugs.

The report also looks at the emerging problem of noncommunicable diseases. As more people are put on HIV treatment, the world will have to learn how to manage health problems such as hypertension and diabetes among those living with the virus. Better care will be needed to provide the best possible quality of life.

Unitaid is improving the global HIV response with better prevention, testing and treatment for the people living with the virus and related diseases such as cervical cancer and hepatitis C. Building on the successes of the past ten years, Unitaid will continue to identify and guide innovations that can bring about the end of the epidemic.

Over the past five years, Unitaid has worked to fortify and expand the global HIV response by investing in key areas. Unitaid introduced affordable self-testing in Africa, new antiretroviral regimens, and prevention for TB and HIV—innovations that have reached many millions of people.

All of these innovations were introduced with the close involvement of civil society. Working with countries and partners such as WHO, the Global Fund and PEPFAR, Unitaid will continue to seek out innovative solutions that make the best use of healthcare resources and are well adapted to the low- and middle-income countries where they are used.

For media enquiries:

Carol MASCIOLA, masciolac@unitaid.who.int