By Linda Naa Deide Aryeetey, GNA Special Correspondent
Rio de Janeiro, July 27, GNA – Global funding cuts are threatening progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS, the International AIDS Society (IAS) has warned.
The Society said reduced donor support was limiting access to HIV prevention innovations, scientific research and community-led services required to end the epidemic by 2030.
Professor Beatriz Grinsztejn, President of the IAS, raised the concern at a media briefing ahead of the 26th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
She said scientific advances had produced major breakthroughs in HIV prevention and treatment, but declining financing was creating a widening gap between innovation and access, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
“It is very sad that while we have these major achievements in prevention, we are simultaneously facing major funding cuts that are deeply affecting the delivery of these new prevention technologies,” she said.
Prof. Grinsztejn, who is also the International Chair of AIDS 2026, said evidence to be presented at the conference would demonstrate the scale of disruptions caused by funding challenges, warning that access to new HIV prevention technologies remained “very slow”.
She said some countries with procurement arrangements for newer HIV prevention medicines were struggling to expand access because of financial constraints.
The IAS President said Latin America remained outside key generic licensing agreements for some of the latest HIV prevention medicines, making access more difficult and expensive despite scientific progress.
“We have great innovation, we have prevention technologies that the HIV community has dreamed about for years, unfortunately, at the same time, we do not have the funding necessary to deliver these technologies to the people who need them most,” she said.
Prof. Grinsztejn acknowledged efforts by countries to mobilise domestic resources for HIV programmes but said governments could not replace donor funding immediately.
“We cannot expect countries to change from one day to another, we need new mechanisms that allow countries to progressively build stronger health systems while maintaining HIV services,” she said.
Prof. Grinsztejn called for increased investment in HIV prevention, stressing that treatment alone would not end the epidemic.
“Ending AIDS would require governments and stakeholders to invest much more heavily in comprehensive prevention programmes.
“For many years, we debated mainly about putting people on treatment and keeping them in care, we now need much greater education and understanding of why prevention is equally important,” she said.
Prof. Grinsztejn said stigma, discrimination and transphobia continued to prevent vulnerable populations from accessing HIV prevention and treatment services.
“I think one of the most important reasons for holding this conference here is to address stigma, discrimination and transphobia that continue to prevent vulnerable people from accessing available services,” she said.
Prof. Grinsztejn said AIDS 2026 would strengthen international collaboration and contribute to shaping future HIV policies.
The conference has brought together scientists, policymakers, governments, civil society organisations and affected communities to discuss the next phase of the global HIV response.
“We have tried our best to guarantee access because we want people to participate, engage in these important conversations and help move the global HIV response forward,” she said.
Prof. Grinsztejn said the strong participation at the conference, despite global financial pressures, reflected continued commitment towards ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey
Reporter: Linda Naa Deide Aryeetey
Email: [email protected]