Strong treatment gains, but faster progress needed to reach global targets

On 1 December, WHO joins partners and communities in commemorating World AIDS Day 2025 under the theme “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response.” This year’s message highlights the urgent need for sustained political leadership, strengthened international cooperation, and human-rights-centred approaches to achieve the goal of ending AIDS by 2030.

HIV transmission can be prevented with appropriate antiretroviral therapy (ART). People who take ART and achieve viral suppression cannot transmit HIV to their sexual partners and can live long, healthy, and productive lives. Reaching 90% ART coverage among people living with HIV remains a key global target for 2030.

In the Western Pacific Region, ART coverage has risen from 12% in 2010 to 64% in 2024, demonstrating strong progress—but further scale-up is essential to meet global targets. As shown in the figure above, progress varies across countries, but all except Fiji have achieved substantial gains in ART coverage, contributing to an 11% reduction in new infections and 9% declining mortality across the region. Fiji, however, is seeing a sharp rise in new HIV infections—mainly among people who inject drugs—leading to a marked increase in people living with HIV, closely linked to declining ART coverage over the same period.

This World AIDS Day, we renew our commitment to accelerate equitable access, strengthen community-centred services, and ensure no one is left behind in the path to ending AIDS in the Western Pacific Region.