The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has raised concerns over a new report indicating that Nigeria’s condom distribution declined by 55 percent over the past year- an alarming development that marks a major setback in the fight against HIV.
This information was revealed on Tuesday, during the presentation of the Organization’s 2025 World AIDS Day report. According to the report, efforts in HIV prevention, testing, and community-led programs are encountering disruptions, and access to treatment is also decreasing in several areas.
According to UNAIDS, 13 African Countries have experienced a drastic fall in the number of people starting HIV treatment. “Throughout sub-Saharan Africa, approximately 450,000 women no longer have access to 'mother mentors', Community personnel who assist pregnant women and new mothers in obtaining HIV care and treatment.” The report revealed.
The agency linked the decline to reduced funding and a worsening human rights environment, claiming that these factors are undermining years of progress in HIV prevention and treatment.
“The financial shortfall has revealed the vulnerability of the advancements we worked tirelessly to secure,” remarked UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima in Geneva. “Infants are being deprived of HIV testing, young women are losing access to prevention services, and whole communities find themselves abruptly without assistance. We must not forsake them.”
Before these disruptions, she noted that young women and girls were already exposed to a high risk of contracting the infection. The report estimates that daily, 570 girls and young women aged 15 to 24 become infected with HIV.
UNAIDS warned that the collapse of prevention programs will further heighten women’s vulnerability, pointing out that more than 60 percent of women-led organizations have been forced to suspend vital services. The agency’s projections show that if prevention efforts are not restored, an additional 3.3 million HIV infections could occur globally between 2025 and 2030.
UNAIDS urged global leaders to swiftly protect and expand HIV funding, support accessible prevention methods, and uphold human rights, emphasizing that communities must remain central to the worldwide HIV response.
