About 1.2 million people contracted the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) globally in 2025 despite significant progress made over the past two decades in reducing new infections and expanding access to life-saving treatment, according to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The figure was disclosed in the Global Health Sector Strategies on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections 2022–2030: 2026 Mid-term Progress Report, released by the WHO as part of its assessment of global progress towards ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

The report evaluates progress made halfway through the implementation of the global health strategy covering the 2022–2030 period.

According to the report, the new HIV infections brought the total number of people living with HIV worldwide to 41 million in 2025, with 64% residing in the WHO African Region, underscoring Africa’s continued position as the epicentre of the global HIV epidemic. Overall, 53% of people living with HIV were female, and 47% were male.

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What they are saying

The WHO noted that the global response to HIV has achieved remarkable progress over the past two decades, largely driven by the massive expansion of antiretroviral therapy (ART), which has prevented millions of deaths and enabled people living with HIV to lead longer and healthier lives.

However, the agency stressed that HIV remains a major global public health challenge and warned that the pace of progress remains insufficient to meet the global target of ending AIDS by 2030.

  • “Globally in 2025, 1.2 million people acquired HIV. This was a 42% reduction compared with 2010 and almost halfway to the target of a 90% reduction by 2030,” the report stated.

The WHO added that nearly half of all new HIV infections globally occurred among key populations and their sexual partners. Outside sub-Saharan Africa, these groups accounted for about 70% of new infections. They include men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, sex workers, transgender people, as well as people in prisons and other closed settings, highlighting the need for more targeted prevention efforts.

More insights

The report showed that while new HIV infections remain a concern, deaths linked to the virus have continued to decline significantly.

  • According to the WHO, 570,000 people died from HIV-related causes globally in 2025, representing a 57% reduction compared with 2010. However, the agency noted that annual HIV-related deaths must decline further to about 130,000 by 2030 for the world to achieve its target of reducing AIDS-related deaths by 90%.
  • The report also highlighted continued improvements in HIV diagnosis and treatment. By the end of 2025, 88% of people living with HIV knew their status, while 89% of those diagnosed were receiving antiretroviral therapy. Among those on treatment, 95% had achieved viral suppression, placing the global response close to the internationally agreed 95-95-95 targets for 2030.

Treatment coverage has expanded dramatically over the past 15 years. The number of people receiving antiretroviral therapy rose to 32 million in 2025, compared with about 8 million in 2010, reflecting one of the most significant achievements in the global HIV response.

Despite this progress, WHO warned that treatment gaps remain substantial. About 9 million people, representing 22% of everyone living with HIV, were still not receiving antiretroviral therapy in 2025, leaving millions at greater risk of illness, death and further transmission of the virus.

What you should know

The WHO’s latest findings come amid growing concerns that reductions in international donor funding could undermine decades of progress made in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

  • Last year, Nairametrics reported that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced that all its direct-hire personnel worldwide would be placed onadministrative leave from February 7, 2025, following sweeping changes to U.S. foreign assistance programmes.
  • The funding disruptions have already had far-reaching consequences. In late February last year, the WHO disclosed that the suspension of U.S. foreign aid had disrupted critical health programmes in 50 countries, affecting the delivery of essential healthcare services.
  • In its latest report, WHO said the funding cuts have negatively affected HIV prevention programmes, HIV testing services, the initiation of antiretroviral treatment, laboratory testing, health workforce capacity, community-based interventions and HIV monitoring systems.

The WHO warned that sustaining progress towards ending AIDS will increasingly depend on countries with high HIV burdens strengthening domestic financing for HIV programmes. It said greater national investment would be essential to protect existing gains, expand access to prevention and treatment services, and keep the world on course towards achieving the 2030 goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat.