GENEVA: Political decisions taken this year will determine whether a target to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 can be reached, the United Nations said on Monday.

Figures from 2023 show a drop in new infections and fatalities and improvement in access to treatment for HIV-positive patient. But while those figures look positive, the UNAIDS agency warned that the progress remained fragile.

“Decisions leaders make this year will determine whether (or not) countries can achieve the 2030 target of ending AIDS as a public health threat and ensure progress beyond 2030,” the report said.

In the over four decades since the AIDS epidemic burst onto the global scene, it has killed more than 42 million people. While AIDS-related deaths have been steadily declining, falling from 670,000 in 2022 to 630,000 last year, the number still remains dizzyingly high.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2024