Late Hiv Diagnoses Threaten Europe’s Progress Toward Ending Aids By 2030

Europe is failing to trial and dainty HIV early, pinch complete half (54%) of each diagnoses successful 2024 being made excessively precocious for optimal treatment. New information released coming by nan European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and nan WHO Regional Office for Europe warns that this captious testing failure, mixed pinch a increasing number of undiagnosed cases, is severely jeopardising nan 2030 extremity of ending AIDS arsenic a nationalist wellness threat.

According to nan yearly HIV/AIDS surveillance report, 105 922 HIV diagnoses were made successful nan WHO European Region successful 2024, covering 53 countries successful Europe and Central Asia. While wide reported numbers show a flimsy alteration compared to 2023, nan disposable information propose that testing and diagnosis gaps remain. The precocious proportionality of precocious diagnoses intends that galore group are not accessing life-saving antiretroviral curen and healthcare early enough, which increases nan consequence of processing AIDS, nan consequence of decease and onward HIV transmission.

In nan European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA), 24 164 HIV diagnoses were reported, representing a complaint of 5.3 per 100 000 people. Key findings from nan 2024 information show that 48% of HIV diagnoses successful nan EU/EEA are late. Sex betwixt men remains nan astir communal mode of transmission successful nan EU/EEA (48%), but diagnoses attributed to heterosexual transmission are rising, accounting for astir 46% of nan HIV diagnoses reported.

In nan EU/EEA, astir half of each diagnoses are made late. We must urgently innovate our testing strategies, clasp community-based testing and self-testing, and guarantee accelerated linkage to care. We tin only extremity AIDS if group cognize their status."

Dr. Pamela Rendi-Wagner, ECDC Director

Across nan WHO European Region 54% of diagnoses were late, this proportionality was highest among group infected done heterosexual transmission (especially men) and group who inject drugs. Nearly 1 successful 3 HIV diagnoses successful 2024 were among group calved extracurricular nan state wherever they were diagnosed. In nan EU/EEA, migrants accounted for much than half of caller diagnoses, highlighting nan request for tailored, accessible, and culturally competent prevention and testing services.

Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said: "Our information paints a mixed picture. Since 2020, HIV testing crossed nan European Region has rebounded, resulting successful a higher measurement of reported tests and a corresponding emergence successful HIV diagnoses successful 11 countries successful 2024.  In 2024 alone, 105,922 group were diagnosed pinch HIV, pinch an wide 2.68 cardinal diagnoses reported since 1980s. However, nan number of group surviving pinch undiagnosed HIV is growing, a silent situation that's fueling transmission. We are not doing capable to region nan deadly barriers of stigma and favoritism that forestall group from seeking retired a elemental test. An early test is not a privilege but a gateway to a long, patient life and nan cardinal to stopping HIV successful its tracks."

ECDC and WHO/Europe are calling for urgent efforts to routinize, normalize and standard up testing, including wider entree to self-testing and community-based options, which tin scope group who do not entree facility-based healthcare services. The 2030 extremity to extremity AIDS arsenic a nationalist wellness threat is wrong reach, but only if nan European region acts now to destruct nan testing gap.

Digital arena for World Aids Day

On World AIDS Day, 1 December 2025 astatine 15:30, ECDC invites you to nan online arena 'World AIDS Day 2025: Redefining nan Journey'. Save nan date, cheque nan agenda, and registry now: World AIDS Day 2025 Digital Event. During nan event, nan latest information connected HIV/AIDS from ECDC and nan WHO Regional Office for Europe will beryllium discussed. Join america arsenic we research really to adjacent gaps successful care, trim stigma, and redefine what occurrence looks like.