World AIDS Day 2025: Renewing Global and National Commitment to Ending HIV as a Public Health Threat

By Dr Aung Tun

 

EVERY year on 1 Decem­ber, nations around the world commemorate World AIDS Day, reflecting on the profound human, social and economic impact of HIV and re­newing commitments to confront one of the world’s longest-running health emergencies. As the world enters 2025, the message is clear: while extraordinary progress has been made, HIV remains an unfin­ished agenda. Millions continue to live with the virus, new infections occur daily, and inequalities still hinder access to prevention, test­ing and treatment services.

 

The World Health Organi­zation (WHO) reports that HIV has already claimed 44.1 million lives since the beginning of the epidemic, and transmission contin­ues in every region. Global efforts, strongly aligned with the Sustaina­ble Development Goals (SDG 3.3), aim to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. But this target de­mands strengthened public health systems, equitable access to care, and greater awareness in every community.

 

1. The Global HIV Situation in 2025

The epidemic continues de­spite progress

 

As of the end of 2024, the WHO estimates that 40.8 million people are living with HIV worldwide. Of this global burden, approximately 65 per cent — over 26 million peo­ple — live in the African Region, highlighting persistent structural inequalities across continents.

 

Despite decades of pro­gress, the epidemic continues:

·         1.3 million people acquired HIV in 2024

·         630,000 people died from HIV-related causes in 2024

·         HIV remains present in every country worldwide

 

These figures remind us that the epidemic is far from over.

 

Global treatment cascade: progress but gaps remain

 

In 2024, the world achieved the following:

·         87 per cent of all people living with HIV knew their status

·         77 per cent of all PLHIV were receiving antiretroviral thera­py (ART)

·         73 per cent

·         Per cent - achieved viral sup­pression

 

These numbers fall short of the 2025 global targets, known as the 95-95-95 goals, which aim for:

 

1.      95 per cent of PLHIV know their status

2.      95 per cent of those diagnosed to be on ART

3.      95 per cent of those on ART to achieve viral suppression

 

Viral suppression is critical because a person whose viral load is undetectable cannot transmit HIV sexually—a scientific break­through known globally as U=U (Undetectable = Untransmitta­ble).

 

2. Myanmar’s HIV Situation: Latest Data (2023–2025)

 

Despite operational challeng­es, Myanmar has maintained sig­nificant progress in HIV diagnosis and treatment coverage.

 

Estimated national HIV bur­den

 

Based on UNAIDS, AIDS Data Hub, UN Myanmar, and ICAP (Columbia University), the latest consolidated estimates indicate:

·         Estimated people living with HIV in Myanmar (PL­HIV): 240,000–280,000

·         Children living with HIV (≤15 years): 11,000

·         New HIV infections per year: 11,000

·         Annual AIDS-related deaths:

Estimated 7,000–8,000 (mod­elled estimates)

·         ART coverage:

208,480 individuals — approx­imately 74 per cent of PLHIV

 

Nature of the epidemic in My­anmar

 

Myanmar’s epidemic remains concentrated, with higher in­fection rates seen among:

·         people who inject drugs

·         men who have sex with men

·         sex workers and their clients

·         transgender people

 

These populations require intensified prevention services, stigma-free healthcare, and con­sistent treatment access.

 

Service delivery challenges

 

Ongoing social, economic and geographic barriers, including population mobility, funding gaps and limited access in conflict-af­fected regions, can hinder test­ing, care and outreach coverage. Nonetheless, national and partner organizations continue working to sustain essential HIV services.

 

3. Understanding HIV and AIDS

 

HIV: The virus that attacks the immune system

 

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) weakens the body’s natural defences by attacking CD4

 

Cells – white blood cells are essential for fighting infections.

 

AIDS: The most advanced stage

 

Untreated HIV can eventually develop into acquired immuno­deficiency syndrome (AIDS), a life-threatening condition marked by severe infections and certain cancers.

 

Advanced HIV Disease (AHD)

 

WHO defines AHD as:

·         CD4 count <200 cells/mm³, or

·         Presence of WHO Stage 3 or 4 clinical events

 

 

All children under five living with HIV are classified as having AHD due to their vulnerable im­mune systems.

 

4. How HIV Is—and Is NOT— Transmitted

 

HIV is transmitted through:

·         blood

·         semen

·         vaginal fluids

·         rectal fluids

·         breast milk

 

Transmission occurs through:

 

·         unprotected sex

·         sharing injection equipment

·         mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding

·         transfusion of contaminated blood

·         medical procedures using un­sterile equipment

 

HIV is NOT transmitted by:

 

·         kissing or hugging

·         shaking hands

·         sharing food, cups, clothes or toilets

·         mosquitoes or insects

·         casual social contact

Dispelling myths helps reduce stigma and improves testing up­take.

 

5. Symptoms Across HIV Stag­es

 

Early infection (first weeks):

·         fever

·         headache

·         sore throat

·         rash

 

Some experience no symp­toms, which makes testing essen­tial.

Chronic infection:

·         weight loss

·         swollen lymph nodes

·         fever

·         diarrhoea

·         persistent cough

 

Advanced infection / AIDS:

·         tuberculosis (TB)

·         cryptococcal meningitis

·         severe bacterial infections

·         cancers (lymphomas, Kaposi’s sarcoma)

 

HIV can worsen hepatitis B, hepatitis C and mpox outcomes.

 

6. HIV Prevention: Tools That Work

 

HIV is preventable. Proven strategies include:

·         consistent condom use

·         regular HIV and STI testing

·         voluntary medical male cir­cumcision

·         harm-reduction services (nee­dle–syringe programmes, opi­oid substitution therapy)

 

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)

 

WHO-recommended PrEP options include:

·         oral tenofovir (TDF)-based PrEP

·         dipivefrine vaginal ring

·         long-acting injectable cabote­gravir

·         long-acting injectable len­acapavir (recently FDA-ap­proved)

 

Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)

 

PEP must begin within 72 hours after potential exposure.

Preventing mother-to-child transmission

 

With ART, the risk can drop to below one per cent.

7. HIV Diagnosis: Rapid, Accu­rate and Accessible

 

·         Rapid diagnostic tests give same-day results

·         HIV self-testing expands pri­vacy and accessibility

·         Confirmatory testing ensures accuracy

·         Babies under 18 months re­quire virological testing, not antibody tests

 

Correct diagnosis enables early treatment, which improves long-term health outcomes.

 

8. Treatment: HIV as a Man­ageable Chronic Illness

 

No cure – but highly effec­tive treatment

Antiretroviral therapy (ART):

·         suppresses the virus

·         strengthens the immune sys­tem

·         prevents HIV transmission to partners

·         transforms HIV into a man­ageable chronic condition

 

ART must be taken daily for life, but new long-acting injecta­bles may change future treatment patterns.

 

Pregnant women

 

Early ART protects both mother and child and prevents transmission.

 

Addressing Advanced HIV Disease

 

WHO supports countries to deliver essential AHD care, includ­ing rapid diagnosis, opportunistic infection screening and new ther­apeutic options.

 

9. The Road to 2030: WHO’s Strategic Response

 

WHO’s Global Health Sector Strategies (GHSS) 2022–2030 out­line how countries can end AIDS, viral hepatitis and sexually trans­mitted infections by 2030. Key pri­orities include:

·         universal health coverage

·         equity-centred approaches

·         reaching the most vulnerable populations

·         strengthening community-led responses

·         integrating HIV services into primary healthcare

 

10. Why World AIDS Day 2025 Matters for Myanmar and the World

 

The world has the tools to defeat HIV — but gaps in access, awareness and equity persist. For Myanmar:

 

·         240,000–280,000 people live with HIV

·         ~208,480 people receive ART, a major public health achieve­ment

·         community support and awareness remain essential

 

Globally, ending AIDS by 2030 is still possible — but only with sustained commitment.

 

Empathy, accurate informa­tion and inclusive public health strategies can eliminate stigma, support those living with HIV, and protect future generations.

 

References

 

1.      World Health Organization (WHO): Global HIV data and statistics, 2024–2025.

2.      WHO Global Health Observa­tory: HIV/AIDS epidemic size and trends (2025 update).

3.      WHO/UNAIDS Global Esti­mates Slides (2025): Regional burden analysis.

4.      AIDS Data Hub: Myanmar HIV Snapshot 2023 (UNAIDS source).

5.      ICAP at Columbia University (2023): Myanmar ART cover­age and PLHIV estimates.

6.      United Nations Myanmar (2025): Essential HIV servic­es and national epidemiology data.

7.      Frontline AIDS (2024): Myan­mar national HIV response and key population data.

 

World AIDS Day, designated on 1 December every year since 1988, is an international day ded­icated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection and mourning those who have died of the disease.