The United Nations warned Thursday that AIDS still kills one person every minute, with budget cuts putting decades of progress at risk. UN Under Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told the General Assembly that while more than 30 million people now receive lifesaving treatment worldwide, the global response faces serious challenges that could reverse years of hard-fought gains in the battle against HIV.
Mohammed described how global commitment is weakening and funding is dropping, disrupting HIV services and delivery systems across affected regions. The crisis particularly endangers vulnerable groups, including adolescent girls and young women, as clinics close and treatment supplies run short due to reduced financial support from international partners.
The crisis has intensified as PEPFAR, the major US program driving HIV efforts across Africa, faces possible permanent funding cuts. The United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) warns of dire consequences without continued support, projecting four million additional AIDS-related deaths and over six million new infections by 2029. Mohammed noted that half of sub-Saharan African countries now spend more servicing debt than on healthcare, highlighting the urgent need for debt relief and stronger international backing.
The UN official also warned that human rights attacks make the situation worse, as harsh laws and hate speech against marginalized communities increase stigma and push people away from essential services. Many community-led organizations are losing funding just when their work matters most for reaching at-risk populations and maintaining treatment programs.
Mohammed stressed that ending AIDS by 2030 remains possible but warned that success isn’t guaranteed without renewed commitment. “We cannot let short-term cuts destroy long-term progress,” she said, calling for sustained international support and stronger national leadership in the fight against the disease.
