AIDS could be eradicated by 2030 IF countries show the political will to invest in prevention and treatment and pass non-discriminatory laws, the United Nations said today.

In 2022, an estimated 39 million people worldwide were living with HIV, according to UNAIDS, the United Nations AIDS program. HIV can develop into AIDS if left untreated.

“We have a solution if we follow the lead of countries that have made a strong political commitment to put people first and invest in evidence-based programs for HIV prevention and treatment,” UNAIDS said in a report released today.

He mentioned how an effective response to HIV would be to pass laws that do not discriminate and strengthen community networks, among other initiatives. People living with HIV or AIDS in many countries face stigma, discrimination and violence.

“Progress has been strongest in countries and regions with the most financial investment, such as eastern and southern Africa, where new HIV infections have fallen by 57% since 2010,” the report said.

It adds, however, that a sharp increase in new infections has been recorded in eastern Europe and central Asia as well as in the Middle East and North Africa.

“These trends are largely due to the lack of HIV prevention services for marginalized and key populations and the barriers posed by punitive laws and social discrimination,” the report states.

Last year, 1.3 million people became infected with HIV and 630,000 died of AIDS-related illnesses, according to UNAIDS.