Abrupt funding cuts and deteriorating human rights conditions have disrupted HIV prevention and treatment services across dozens of countries, UNAIDS has warned.

In a report to mark World AIDS Day, the UN agency said international assistance has sharply declined, with projections showing external health funding could fall by 30-40% in 2025 compared with 2023.

The agency’s Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima, said the funding crisis exposed the “fragility of the progress we fought so hard to achieve,” warning that people of all ages and backgrounds, and entire communities, have been left without services and care.

Enumerating widespread disruption to HIV prevention, testing, and community-led programmes, UNAIDS cites that across 13 countries, the number of people newly initiated on treatment has fallen. Stock-outs of HIV test kits and essential medicines have been reported in Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The UN agency also notes that 450,000 women in sub-Saharan Africa lost access to “mother mentors,” trusted community workers who link them to care.