On World AIDS Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) called on governments and partners to rapidly scale up access to newly approved HIV prevention tools, including lenacapavir (LEN), to curb infections and counter the disruption caused by sharp cuts to foreign aid.
Despite steep funding setbacks, the global HIV response has gained momentum in 2025 with the introduction of twice-yearly injectable LEN, a long-acting alternative to oral pills. WHO approved LEN in July as an additional pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option for HIV prevention. The drug offers a transformative solution for people who face challenges with daily adherence or stigma in accessing health services.
Sharp and sudden reductions in international funding this year led to disruptions in HIV prevention, treatment and testing services, with essential community-led programmes, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and harm reduction initiatives for people who inject drugs, being scaled back or shut down entirely in some countries, the WHO has said.
“We face significant challenges, with cuts to international funding, and prevention stalling," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
“At the same time, we have significant opportunities, with exciting new tools with the potential to change the trajectory of the HIV epidemic. Expanding access to those tools for people at risk of HIV everywhere must be priority number one for all governments and partners.”
Marking World AIDS Day under the theme “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response”, WHO also urged a dual track approach – solidarity and investment in innovations to protect and empower communities most at risk.
HIV prevention efforts stagnated, with 1.3 million new infections, disproportionately impacting key and vulnerable populations, including sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender women, and people who inject drugs. Sex workers and transgender women face a 17-fold higher risk of the disease.
Globally, an estimated 40.8 million people were living with HIV, and 630 000 people died from HIV-related causes.
While the full scale of the impact of foreign aid cuts is still being assessed, access to PrEP is believed to have declined dramatically. The AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition estimates that, as of October 2025, 2.5 million people who used PrEP in 2024 lost access to their medications in 2025 due solely to donor funding cuts.
Such disruptions could have far-reaching consequences for the global HIV response, jeopardizing efforts to end AIDS by 2030, as per WHO.
“We are entering a new era of powerful innovations in HIV prevention and treatment,” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Department for HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs. “By pairing these advances with decisive action, supporting communities, and removing structural barriers, we can ensure that key and vulnerable populations have full access to life-saving services.”
WHO prequalified LEN for HIV prevention on 6 October 2025, followed by national regulatory approvals that will increase access in South Africa (on 27 October), Zimbabwe (27 November) and Zambia (4 November). WHO’s Collaborative Registration Procedure (CRP) supported these approvals.
WHO is also working closely with partners such as CIFF, the Gates Foundation, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and Unitaid to enable affordable access to LEN in countries. Ensuring that long-acting HIV medicines for prevention and treatment reach priority populations must be a global priority.
WHO has emphasized that ending the AIDS epidemic depends on a fully integrated, evidence-based and rights-driven approach under the umbrella of primary health care. WHO will continue working with partners and leaders to put those most affected at the centre of the HIV response.
Despite funding setbacks, the resilience and leadership of communities offer a clear path forward. By strengthening health systems, increasing domestic investment, and protecting human rights, countries can safeguard gains and ensure no one is left behind.
