Ending AIDS is possible but only if governments act now

This World AIDS Day, we are at a historic turning point for the global HIV response and for global co-operation.

Ending AIDS as a public health threat in the next five years is now a possibility thanks to the breakthrough long-acting HIV treatment and prevention drug Lenacapavir, often described as the closest thing to a vaccine. Achieving the historic goal of ending one of the world’s worst killer diseases is possible, but only if the global community chooses to act and makes this drug accessible and affordable to all.

This opportunity is possible thanks to the incredible 20 years of progress in the HIV response. Decades of sustained political will, international cooperation, and strategic investment have turned evidence into impact, saving millions of lives and preventing countless new transmissions. It is a testament to what can be achieved when governments, communities, and innovators work together.

However, this moment of hope is fragile. Progress that took decades can be reversed in just a few years. Earlier this year, US cuts to global HIV programmes disrupted treatment and prevention for millions, leaving care interrupted, clinical trials halted mid-stream, and programmes without certainty. The UK’s decision to cut ODA shortly after this has critically undermined support to the most marginalised around the world at their greatest time of need. It has also resulted in the UK being financially limited in its ability to sufficiently fund key global partnerships for the global HIV response.

If governments and global partners fail to act decisively, the historic opportunity to end AIDS in the next five years could be lost. And that’s why, this World AIDS Day, we’re calling on the UK to seize this lifesaving opportunity to end AIDS around the world in the next five years by championing new HIV innovations and investing sufficiently in key global partnerships that are critical for the HIV response.

We know that partnership and global cooperation are key to our success. Coordinated international action, guided by science and centred on human rights, has produced some of the most effective public health responses. A network of global partnerships, including Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Unitaid, UNAIDS and the Robert Carr Fund play complementary roles that have driven innovation, delivered tools at scale, ensured accountability, and supported communities to reach the most marginalised. Together, they have helped enable lifesaving medicines and prevention tools to reach those who need them most.

Ending AIDS is not only about global solidarity; it also links to and strengthens our health systems at home. The UK is making incredible progress in the domestic HIV response and is close to becoming the first country in the world to end HIV transmissions. Keir Starmer has committed to achieve this goal and it has broad political support.

But achieving and maintaining this domestic goal is interconnected with progress on HIV and building health systems around the world. Innovations that are often pioneered through international programs translate into faster access to better medicines, diagnostics, and prevention tools that benefit the UK and other countries alike.

This World AIDS Day, we are reminded that the possibility of ending AIDS has never been so close. But it is not inevitable. Game-changing treatments, strong communities, and decades of progress have brought us to the brink of victory. The next step depends on continued action, collaboration, and strengthened political will from the UK and other governments around the world.