WHO report warns funding gaps threaten HIV and hepatitis elimination goals
New assessment from the World Health Organization reveals significant declines in new HIV infections but warns that persistent inequalities and funding disruptions are stalling progress against viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections.
The World Health Organization has released a comprehensive assessment of the Global Health Sector Strategies for HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections for the period 2022 to 2030. Launched during the 26th International AIDS Conference and ahead of World Hepatitis Day, the report outlines both substantial achievements and critical vulnerabilities in the global response to these epidemics.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, stated that the report demonstrates what is possible when countries invest in health, communities, and science. However, he warned that progress remains fragile and can be quickly undone by funding disruptions, humanitarian emergencies, and persistent inequalities. He emphasised the need to build integrated, resilient health systems that reach those furthest behind over the next five years.
Data indicates that new HIV infections have fallen by 42% since 2010, and AIDS-related deaths have decreased by 57%. By the end of 2025, an estimated 32 million people were receiving treatment. Despite these gains, nine million people still lack access to life-saving HIV treatment, and new infections continue to rise in several regions, particularly among key populations including men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who inject drugs, transgender people, and people in prisons.
Progress in the response to viral hepatitis has also been recorded, with annual hepatitis B infections decreasing by 32% and hepatitis C-related deaths falling by 12% globally since 2015. Nevertheless, viral hepatitis remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, claiming an estimated 1.3 million lives in 2024. Deaths linked to hepatitis B have increased by 17% since 2015, and diagnosis and treatment coverage remain low despite the availability of effective medicines.
The global response to sexually transmitted infections is described as mixed. While countries have strengthened national policies and improved syphilis screening in pregnancy, STI rates are rising in several communities. There is also growing resistance to antibiotics used to treat gonorrhoea, and coverage of HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening remains insufficient.
Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Department for HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs, described the assessment as a practical guide for action for the second half of the strategy period. She noted that the report highlights where countries are succeeding, where progress is stalling, and where investments can have the greatest impact.
The report identifies integration as a key opportunity to accelerate progress, with countries showing strong results increasingly delivering services through primary health care. It also highlights innovations such as the WHO-recommended twice-yearly injectable lenacapavir, which is being introduced in 10 countries with plans for rollout in a further 14, and doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis to reduce bacterial STIs.
