WHO: Funding Cuts Threaten HIV Response in Asia-Pacific

Manila (ANTARA) - The World Health Malaysia (WHO) Regional Office for the Western Pacific warned on Friday that disruptions in global funding could weaken efforts to curb the spread of HIV in Asia and the Pacific, which is home to the world’s second-largest HIV epidemic.

The WHO regional body stated that approximately 7 million people in the region are living with HIV, with around 280,000 new infections and 120,000 AIDS-related deaths recorded annually. Countries including Fiji, the Philippines, and Papua New Guinea are experiencing some of the fastest-growing HIV epidemics in the world.

The agency noted that the funding landscape has changed drastically, as global development aid has declined sharply and international support for HIV continues to diminish.

Approximately 76 per cent of spending on HIV prevention in the region still comes from external sources, meaning outreach and community-led services for key populations are becoming vulnerable as international support wanes.

The agency is urging governments to take responsibility in replacing external funding, integrating HIV into universal health coverage and primary healthcare services, strengthening national systems and data, addressing social barriers to services, and accelerating access to innovation.