HIV, Hepatitis and STIs: WHO Warns the World Is Off Track for 2030
A report published on 27 July 2026 finds uneven progress against HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections, with weakened funding and hepatitis mortality still rising.
On 27 July 2026, the World Health Organization published a midterm review of global strategies against HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections.
The picture is mixed: real progress, particularly against HIV, but a trajectory that will not meet the targets set for 2030.
Presented during the AIDS 2026 conference in Rio de Janeiro and on the eve of World Hepatitis Day, the report identifies responses that remain too fragmented, underfunded and unequally accessible between countries and population groups.
Two opposing trajectories
- Antiretroviral treatment has reduced AIDS-related deaths and prevented new infections
- A consistently undetectable viral load prevents sexual transmission
- But the gains depend on funding that is now declining
- Mortality is rising instead of falling
- Effective tools already exist: hepatitis B vaccination, antiviral treatment and cures for the vast majority of hepatitis C cases
- The obstacle is access, not science
UNAIDS data. Increased domestic spending offset only part of the reduction, and total resources fell by 6%.
The effects are already visible. In Cameroon, Nigeria and Zambia, the number of people receiving pre-exposure prophylaxis, a preventive treatment for HIV-negative people at high risk, reportedly fell by more than half.
This does not automatically cause an immediate increase in infections, but removes one of prevention's major tools.
For hepatitis, WHO estimates that 287 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B or C in 2024, causing about 1.3 million deaths.
Only 45% of newborns received the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth, even though early vaccination is crucial to prevent mother-to-child transmission.
WHO believes conditions may deteriorate, but highlights weak surveillance systems: many cases are neither diagnosed nor reported. Untreated infections can cause infertility, pregnancy complications, cancers or increased risk of HIV transmission. Antibiotic resistance in some bacteria further complicates treatment.
Integrate services instead of isolating them
WHO recommends bringing together services for HIV, hepatitis, STIs, tuberculosis, maternal health and primary care. A single consultation can offer testing, vaccination, prevention and referral for treatment, reducing the number of appointments and limiting loss to follow-up.
The report also stresses the role of associations and affected communities, which often reach people who are distant from healthcare facilities or face stigma. Their participation improves testing, treatment adherence and programme quality.
The report does not conclude that every area has failed. The medical tools exist; their deployment remains inadequate.
Read the original article on Organisation mondiale de la santé, ONUSIDA et Reuters