The 2020 goals for HIV prevention and treatment will not be achieved, according to a new report from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Seizing the Moment describes uneven progress toward epidemic control, with only 14 countries reaching the 90-90-90 goals for HIV testing, treatment, and viral suppression, and the threat of additional, dramatic setbacks due to COVID-19-related service disruptions. An estimated 1.7 million people acquired HIV infection in 2019 — a 23 percent decline in annual HIV infections since 2010 — but that was more than three times higher than the target of 500,000 set for 2020. From 2016 to 2019, 15 million men were circumcised in 15 priority countries, indicating that programmes will fall far short of the goal of 25 million VMMCs. The report highlights successful examples of comprehensive HIV responses and urges greater investment in efforts to control the colliding pandemics of HIV and COVID-19.
Preview