New HIV Prevention Tools and Investment Critical to Ending AIDS – WHO Warns
Oluwatobi Adu 
WHO-DG, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
ABUJA, Nigeria – As the world marks World AIDS Day 2025, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on governments and global health partners to urgently scale up access to newly approved HIV prevention tools—especially the long-acting injectable lenacapavir (LEN)—warning that global progress is now at a “critical crossroads.”
In a statement released Monday, WHO said that the introduction and approval of twice-yearly lenacapavir represents one of the most significant breakthrough technologies in HIV prevention in more than a decade. However, the organisation warned that crippling cuts to foreign aid have disrupted essential HIV services, including PrEP delivery, prevention programmes and community-led outreach efforts.
“We face significant challenges, with cuts to international funding and prevention stalling,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“At the same time, we have significant opportunities, with exciting new tools with the potential to change the trajectory of the HIV epidemic. Expanding access to those tools for people at risk of HIV everywhere must be priority number one for all governments and partners.”
WHO noted that 1.3 million new infections were recorded globally in 2024, with 49% occurring among key populations including sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender women, and people who inject drugs. These groups face infection risks up to 34 times higher due to stigma and structural barriers.
Also in 2024, 40.8 million people were living with HIV globally, while 630,000 lives were lost.
“We are entering a new era of powerful innovations in HIV prevention and treatment,” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Department for HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs.
“By pairing these advances with decisive action, supporting communities, and removing structural barriers, we can ensure that key and vulnerable populations have full access to life-saving services.”
About the Author
Otamere Gladness 
Hussaini Ibrahim 
