The organization is calling on world leaders to renew their commitment to international support, warning that many countries hardest hit by HIV cannot sustain the response on domestic funding alone. According to UNAIDS, the global effort has suffered its most serious setback in decades, with progress slowing and vulnerabilities widening.

A recent report highlights the need for increased investment in innovative and affordable HIV prevention and treatment. UNAIDS is pushing for faster access to new long-acting medicines such as lenacapavir, aiming to reach 20 million people while lowering treatment costs by allowing more manufacturers to produce at scale.

Today, an estimated 40.8 million people are living with HIV worldwide. In 2024 alone, 1.3 million new infections occurred, yet more than 9 million people still aren’t receiving the treatment they need. The ongoing cuts to international HIV funding in 2025 have worsened an already significant shortfall, hitting vulnerable communities particularly hard.

Women-led HIV organizations have been among the most affected, with more than 60% losing funding or being forced to stop operating altogether. Other essential prevention services are struggling as well—PrEP usage has dropped sharply in several countries, undermining efforts to curb new infections.

The report, titled Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response, details how reduced global support has sent shockwaves through low- and middle-income nations. These disruptions threaten years of hard-fought progress and jeopardize the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat.

Forecasts for 2025 show external health assistance could fall by as much as 30–40% compared with 2023. UNAIDS warns that failure to reverse this trend could lead to 3.3 million additional new HIV infections between 2025 and 2030—an outcome that would set the global fight against HIV back by a generation.

On this World AIDS Day, UNAIDS is urging countries, donors, and global partners to recommit to the shared responsibility of protecting the most vulnerable and ensuring that no community is left behind.

Visit MDNtv YouTube Channel for our video content

The post Global Call for Unity as UNAIDS Warns of Deepening HIV Crisis on World AIDS Day appeared first on MDNtv.

From December 2015 until April 2016 on four different occasions when the child would go to her elderly grandmother’s place In Tsakane Ext 13 to assist her with house chores. The family friend who is also a neighbor would call the child to his place, rape her and threaten to kill her if she told anyone the rape incidents until she fell pregnant.

In October 2016 when the 13-year-old minor had gone back to the doctor for her regular cancer treatment, the doctors discovered that she was 6months pregnant and had contracted Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). When the doctor enquired about the pregnancy, the child disclosed that she was raped by the family friend. The mother of the child reported the matter to the police, and the family friend was arrested in November 2016. However, the matter was provisionally withdrawn and was placed back on the roll in 2020 when the neighbor was summoned by J175.

In court he pleaded not guilty to the charges and denied raping the child, however the regional court prosecutor Tholwana Jessica Khakhathiba adduced evidence that proved the man’s guilt. During sentencing, his legal representative the man asked the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence due to his ill health which has deteriorated since his incarceration., but Khakhathiba urged for life imprisonment, because the man did not show any remorse and continued to maintain his innocence even after conviction. Furthermore, the man committed gruesome offences towards a defenseless child which was already suffering from a chronic illness. Not only did the man impregnate the child he also infected her with HIV and took away her innocence.

The prosecutor also read into the record the Victim Impact Statement (VIS) facilitated by the Court Preparation Officer, Nothando Mbatha, which detailed the psychological, academic, social and physical trauma the child suffered because of the rape incidents.

The court found aggravating circumstances far outweighed mitigating factors, agreeing with the state that the accused showed no remorse for the offences. The sentence was deemed appropriate.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes the sentence, hoping it deters potential offenders and demonstrates its commitment to combating gender-based violence (GBV).

Visit MDNtv YouTube Channel for our video content

The post FAMILY FRIEND SENTENCED TO FOUR LIFE TERMS FOR RAPE AND IMPREGNATING A MINOR BATTLING CANCER appeared first on MDNtv.

Mary, a single mother living in Soweto, shares the struggles she faces as she raises her HIV-positive daughter, Lita. While Lita has been thriving on antiretroviral (ARV) medication, the loss of support from community organizations like Crystal Fountain, which provided food vouchers and emotional assistance, has placed additional strain on their lives.

Read:South Africa Restaurant Awards celebrate culinary stars

South Africa is home to the largest population of people living with HIV, with an estimated 7.8 million affected. Many rely on funding from programs like PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), which has been cut drastically. The loss of support has led to the closure of vital services, including HIV education, testing, and care rooms for survivors of sexual violence.

The effects are particularly severe in underserved areas like Soweto, where families struggling with HIV also face food insecurity. Experts warn that without continued support, HIV transmission could increase, and the progress made in controlling the epidemic could be undone. The funding freeze is expected to lead to a rise in HIV-related deaths, and crucial research, including HIV vaccine development, has been delayed or halted due to the funding cuts.

While the South African government has assured the public that medication will remain available, the lack of broader support services is creating a crisis for vulnerable communities.

The post US Funding Cuts Threaten HIV Support for South African Families appeared first on MDNtv.