The World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified integration, innovation and community leadership as the key pillars required to eliminate HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) by 2030, according to a newly released progress assessment report.

The report evaluates the implementation of the Global Health Sector Strategies for HIV, viral hepatitis and STIs covering the 2022–2030 period. It was unveiled during the 26th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026) ahead of World Hepatitis Day.

According to WHO, millions of people have benefited from expanded treatment services across the globe. However, the organisation warned that funding reductions, humanitarian emergencies and persistent inequalities continue to threaten progress in the global fight against HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections.

In a statement issued on Monday, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus stressed the importance of building integrated and resilient health systems capable of serving underserved populations, while emphasising that sustained investments remain essential to achieving international health goals.

“By the end of 2025, about 32 million people living with HIV were receiving treatment, while new HIV infections had declined by 42 per cent since 2010. AIDS-related deaths also dropped by 57 per cent during the same period, reflecting sustained investments in treatment, prevention, and scientific innovation,” Mr Ghebreyesus said.

Despite the gains, he noted that approximately nine million people still lacked access to life-saving HIV treatment, while new infections continued to increase among key populations in several regions, creating fresh challenges for global efforts.

The WHO chief also pointed to encouraging progress in combating viral hepatitis, saying the assessment found annual hepatitis B infections had fallen by 32 per cent since 2015, while hepatitis C-related deaths declined by 12 per cent globally over the same period.

Even so, he warned that viral hepatitis remains among the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, accounting for an estimated 1.3 million deaths in 2024. He added that hepatitis B deaths have increased by 17 per cent since 2015 because diagnosis and treatment coverage remain insufficient in many countries, highlighting the need for stronger global interventions.

On sexually transmitted infections, the report found mixed results despite improvements in syphilis screening during pregnancy and modest increases in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage worldwide.

Mr Ghebreyesus cautioned that increasing STI cases and growing antibiotic resistance in gonorrhoea continue to weaken global control efforts, despite progress in prevention, testing and treatment programmes.

He further disclosed that reductions in international donor funding during 2025 disrupted HIV prevention programmes in several resource-constrained countries, including access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

According to preliminary findings, PrEP use declined in some countries despite government efforts to sustain essential HIV prevention services.

The WHO director-general identified integrated primary healthcare as one of the most effective approaches for delivering HIV, hepatitis and STI services alongside tuberculosis and maternal healthcare programmes.

He added that eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B remains a major priority, with a growing number of countries seeking WHO validation for elimination achievements.

Mr Ghebreyesus also encouraged broader adoption of digital health technologies, stronger disease surveillance systems, multi-disease testing platforms and equitable access to emerging prevention technologies to accelerate progress.

Among promising innovations, he highlighted long-acting injectable lenacapavir and doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis as important tools for preventing HIV and bacterial sexually transmitted infections among populations at higher risk.

He said stronger community leadership, enhanced monitoring systems and updated HIV service delivery guidance would support countries in accelerating efforts to eliminate HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections by 2030.

Also commenting on the report, Tereza Kasaeva, director of WHO’s Department for HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs, described the assessment as a practical roadmap for accelerating implementation during the remaining years of the global strategy.

Source: Peoples Gazette