HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS is a global pandemic. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the body's immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Since the disease first emerged in 1981, 91.4 million have become infected with HIV and 44.1 people have died from AIDS-related illnesses.  In 2024, globally, 40.8 million people were living with HIV, 1.3 million individuals became newly infected, and 630 000 people died from AIDS related diseases. In the United States, approximately 1.2 million people have HIV and about 13 percent don’t know they are infected. Over the past 40 years, because of significant investments in research, there are now medications to effectively treat the disease. People with HIV who get on and stay on effective HIV treatment can live long, healthy lives and protect their partners. Additionally, medications have been developed that can prevent acquiring HIV, reducing transmission rates by 96%. New research is underway to find a cure for the disease. We must strengthen initiatives to deliver life saving medications and services to all those in need.