At the AIDS 2026 conference in Rio de Janeiro, health officials warned about a serious HIV problem after a 25% fall in international funding. This drop means about $2.1 billion less money for HIV prevention and treatment in low- and middle-income countries. Experts said it is the largest single-year decrease in funding since global HIV efforts started more than 20 years ago.

The main reason for this crisis is deep funding cuts from the United States government. The US has been the biggest supporter of the global HIV response. Recent changes in US foreign aid led to less money for programmes like the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Because of these cuts, nearly 1,700 HIV treatment and testing centres have closed around the world. More than 16,000 healthcare workers have lost their jobs, and prevention services have been reduced in many places.