The global fight against HIV is facing its biggest setback in decades, largely as a result of cuts to international aid, the UN warned.
Distribution of preventative medication was down sharply in a number of places — 64% in Burundi — while countries such as Nigeria were seeing lower numbers of condoms being handed out, and test kits were out of stock in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia.
In part, the reversals are down to worsening conflict, but a key driver was reduced Western assistance. Ultimately, the failure to restore preventative efforts could result in an extra 3.3 million HIV infections in the next five years, said UNAIDS, the UN body charged with combating HIV and AIDS.
