GENEVA: Political leaders’ decisions taken this year will be critical in determining whether the target to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 can be achieved, the United Nations says.
UN cites figures from 2023 to show global improvements in the number of new infections, treatment of HIV-positive patients, and a decrease in fatalities.
However, UNAIDS warned that such progress remains fragile. Nearly 40 million people are living with HIV, the virus that can cause AIDS, according to the new UN report.
Around 1.3 million new infections were recorded last year, an increase of 100,000 compared to 2022 but a significant drop from the peak of 3.3 million in 1995.
Despite this, the long-term trend is still far from the UNAIDS target of 330,000 new infections next year.
The report also mentioned a decrease in AIDS-related deaths, from 670,000 in 2022 to 630,000 last year.