(MENAFN) As global funding shortfalls worsen, up to six million people may contract HIV and four million could die from AIDS-related causes between 2025 and 2029, the UNAIDS warned on Thursday.

In its newly released 2025 Global AIDS Update, the agency sounded the alarm over swift and widespread cuts to international aid, which are dismantling life-saving HIV prevention and treatment programs in the hardest-hit regions.

"This is not just a funding gap -- it’s a ticking time bomb," said UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima in a press statement. "We have seen services vanish overnight. Health workers have been sent home. And people -- especially children and key populations -- are being pushed out of care."

The report highlighted that over 30,000 health workers have been impacted in Mozambique alone. In Nigeria, the monthly number of individuals starting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has plummeted from 40,000 to just 6,000. According to the agency, decades of progress in fighting HIV/AIDS are now in jeopardy.

In 2024, AIDS-related illnesses claimed 630,000 lives. Meanwhile, 9.2 million people living with HIV — including 620,000 children — were still not receiving treatment. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the epicenter, accounting for 61% of global AIDS-related deaths.

Amid the funding crisis, UNAIDS pointed to some encouraging developments. South Africa now finances 77% of its national AIDS response and aims to boost that investment. Additionally, seven African nations have achieved the 95-95-95 treatment targets: 95% of individuals with HIV are aware of their status, 95% of them are on treatment, and 95% of those receiving treatment have suppressed viral loads.

"Together, we can still end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 -- if we act with urgency, unity, and unwavering commitment," Byanyima added.

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