SWITZERLAND — In a momentous announcement, the United Nations (UN) has revealed that the vision of eradicating AIDS from our planet by 2030 remains within reach.

However, the UNAIDS agency stressed that this ambitious goal can only be achieved if world leaders truly grasp the magnitude of this opportunity.

The UNAIDS agency emphatically stated, “AIDS can be brought to an end by 2030,” as it unveiled a comprehensive roadmap focused on strategic investments, evidence-based prevention and treatment strategies, and the urgent need to address prevailing inequalities that hinder progress.

Acknowledging that putting an end to this devastating pandemic primarily requires political will and financial commitment, Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, affirmed, “Success is not just conceivable but achievable within this decade.”

Byanyima further emphasized the remarkable chance for contemporary leaders to shape an extraordinary legacy.

“The end of AIDS represents an unparalleled opportunity for today’s leaders,” she remarked.

“Future generations could remember them as the individuals who halted the world’s deadliest pandemic. They possess the power to save millions of lives and safeguard the health of entire populations. This is an unequivocal demonstration of true leadership.”

The UN initially set the target of eliminating AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 in 2015. According to UNAIDS, as of 2022, an estimated 39 million people worldwide were living with HIV, with 29.8 million accessing life-saving anti-retroviral therapy.

Unfortunately, 660,000 children still lack access to these essential treatments. Remarkably, the number of individuals receiving anti-retroviral therapy has nearly quadrupled since 2010, rising from 7.7 million to its current level, as reported by the agency.

Byanyima highlighted that the most significant progress in combating HIV, the virus responsible for AIDS, has been observed in regions and countries that have made substantial investments.

Notably, she commended eastern and southern Africa, where new HIV infections have plummeted by an impressive 57 percent since 2010.

However, the UNAIDS report also revealed disheartening trends, with a sharp increase in new infections occurring in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.

The report attributed these concerning patterns primarily to the absence of sufficient HIV prevention services for marginalized and vulnerable populations, compounded by punitive laws and social discrimination.

Several countries have already achieved the vital 95-95-95 targets, including Botswana, Eswatini, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.

These milestones signify that 95 percent of individuals living with HIV are aware of their status, 95 percent of those aware are receiving life-saving anti-retroviral treatment, and 95 percent of those on treatment have achieved viral suppression.

Encouragingly, at least 16 other nations are on the brink of reaching this milestone, including Denmark, Kuwait, and Thailand, alongside eight Sub-Saharan African countries, home to 65 percent of HIV-positive individuals.

Tragically, in the previous year, 1.3 million people contracted HIV, while 630,000 lost their lives due to AIDS-related illnesses, as reported by UNAIDS.

These figures underscore the urgency of taking decisive action and intensifying efforts to combat this global health crisis.

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