HIV infections could leap six-fold if US support dropped, UN chief says

Winnie Byanyima warned of a global surge in the disease (Keystone via AP, File)

The head of the UN Aids agency has said the number of new HIV infections could jump by more than six times by 2029 if American support for the biggest Aids programme is dropped – warning that millions of people could die and more resistant strains of the disease could emerge.

UNAids executive director Winnie Byanyima said HIV infections have been falling in recent years, with just 1.3 million new cases recorded in 2023, a 60% decline since the virus peaked in 1995.