UNAIDS Report On HIV Prevention In Nigeria Shows A 55% Decline In Condom Distribution

UNAIDS Report On HIV Prevention In Nigeria Shows A 55% Decline In Condom Distribution

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) reports that condom distribution decline in Nigeria has reached 55%, dropping sharply between December and March this year. The figures, published in the 2025 World AIDS Day report titled Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response, highlight significant setbacks in prevention, testing, and community-based HIV initiatives across multiple countries.

According to the report, disruptions to global HIV programmes—intensified since Donald Trump returned to the White House—have resulted in countless additional AIDS-related deaths and left 2.5 million people without access to lifesaving HIV-prevention medication. UNAIDS warns that persistent funding gaps are placing millions at long-term risk.

For countries like Nigeria that heavily rely on donor funding to sustain prevention strategies, the effects have been described as “immediate and severe.” UNAIDS revealed that community partners have reported deaths among people living with HIV due to the closure of treatment centres, though actual numbers remain uncertain as data collection continues.

The global HIV response entered what UNAIDS called “crisis mode” after the United States—responsible for 75% of international HIV funding—temporarily froze all HIV-related financial support earlier in the year. Several European donors also drastically reduced foreign assistance, reallocating budgets to defence expenditures. Although some programmes have resumed through the U.S. PEPFAR initiative, overall funding continues to shrink, jeopardizing efforts to meet the 2030 target of ending AIDS as a public health threat.

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima stated in Geneva that the agency is now working with more than 30 countries to strengthen domestic HIV financing. However, she warned that the funding gap cannot be closed quickly and that the challenges remain substantial. Globally, 40.8 million people are currently living with HIV, with 1.3 million new infections recorded in 2024.

The report also noted global setbacks in access to HIV prevention tools. An estimated 2.5 million people have lost access to PrEP due to donor cuts. Preventive medication distribution fell by 31% in Uganda, 21% in Vietnam, and 64% in Burundi. A survey by UNAIDS and the ATHENA Network found that nearly half of women and adolescent girls experienced disruptions in prevention and treatment services.

Globally, HIV infections dropped 39% between 2010 and 2023, with sub-Saharan Africa achieving a 56% reduction. Still, 1.3 million people contracted HIV in 2023—over three times the 2025 target of 370,000.

The report emphasized that condom distribution decline in Nigeria and other nations is a major concern, as condoms remain the most affordable and effective HIV-prevention method. Declining condom use has been observed worldwide, particularly among young people aged 15–24, and remains low during sex with non-regular partners. Only 36% of adults in eastern and southern Africa and 25% in western and central Africa used a condom during their last sexual encounter.

Funding shortages continue to undermine the global HIV response. An estimated US$19.8 billion was available in 2023 for HIV programmes in low- and middle-income countries—almost US$9.5 billion below the amount required in 2025. When adjusted for inflation, total resources for HIV are at their lowest point in more than ten years. Regions such as Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa have the largest funding deficits and the slowest progress in reducing infections.

Domestic spending accounts for about 59% of global HIV funding, yet both domestic and international financing remain under pressure. Inflation-adjusted domestic contributions fell for the fourth consecutive year in 2023, while international funding remains nearly 20% below its 2013 peak. Without steady support from the Global Fund and the U.S. Government, declines in HIV financing would have been even more pronounced.

UNAIDS stressed that development assistance remains crucial. Funding shortfalls have severely undermined community-led initiatives and prevention programmes, particularly for key populations who account for a large share of new infections. Only US$1.8–2.4 billion was available for primary prevention in 2023, compared to the US$9.5 billion needed by 2025.

With the condom distribution decline in Nigeria and similar gaps worldwide, UNAIDS is urging global leaders to renew commitment to ending AIDS. The agency called for increased investment in innovative prevention technologies, expanded human-rights protections, and enhanced support for community-driven HIV responses.

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