By Peter Dansu Nigeria has seen a sharp fall in condom use, with new data from UNAIDS showing a 55 per cent drop in distribution over the...
By Peter Dansu
Nigeria has seen a sharp fall in condom use, with new data from UNAIDS showing a 55 per cent drop in distribution over the past year. The alarming figure was released on Tuesday as the UN agency launched its 2025 World AIDS Day report titled Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response.
UNAIDS warned that the global fight against HIV is facing its toughest setback in decades, as prevention, testing and community support programmes continue to suffer major disruptions. The agency noted that across 13 countries, fewer people are now being newly enrolled for treatment, a troubling sign for efforts to control the virus.
One of the most concerning revelations is the situation in sub-Saharan Africa, where about 450,000 women have lost access to “mother mentors” — trusted community workers who guide pregnant women and young mothers into essential HIV care.
UNAIDS blamed abrupt funding cuts and worsening human rights conditions in several countries for the collapse of these lifesaving services.
Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, said the consequences are devastating. Speaking in Geneva, she reminded world leaders that behind each statistic are real people whose lives depend on access to care.
She spoke of babies missing early HIV screening, young women cut off from prevention support, and entire communities left without the services they depend on.
“Millions of lives depend on the choices we make today,” she said, urging world leaders not to allow current shocks to erase decades of progress.
Before the current disruptions, adolescent girls and young women were already at high risk, with 570 new infections recorded daily among females aged 15 to 24. The breakdown of prevention programmes, UNAIDS says, now leaves them even more vulnerable.
Community-led organisations, which form the backbone of HIV response efforts, are also struggling to survive. More than 60 per cent of women-led groups report that they have been forced to suspend key services.
UNAIDS warned that failure to restore prevention efforts could result in 3.3 million additional HIV infections between 2025 and 2030.
The report also shows that international health assistance has plummeted, with OECD projections indicating a possible 30 to 40 per cent drop in funding by next year compared with 2023. The agency noted that the impact has been swift and severe, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
UNAIDS called on global leaders to renew their commitment to solidarity, uphold multilateral agreements, including those made at the G20 Summit in South Africa, and increase funding for countries that rely heavily on external support.
The agency stressed the need for investment in innovation such as affordable long-acting prevention tools, and for the protection of human rights as essential pillars in the fight to end AIDS.
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