Botswana has been recognised as one of a select group of countries that have successfully achieved the United Nations’ ambitious 95-95-95 HIV testing and treatment targets ahead of the 2030 deadline to end AIDS as a public health threat.
The achievement was highlighted in the latest United Nations General Assembly report by the Secretary-General, titled United to End AIDS, which commended Botswana’s sustained efforts in combating HIV and strengthening its healthcare system.
According to the report, Botswana is among only seven countries in Eastern and Southern Africa with large HIV epidemics that have met or surpassed the 2025 milestone. The targets require that 95 percent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 percent of those diagnosed receive antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 95 percent of people on treatment achieve viral suppression.
The UN described the achievement as evidence that ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 remains possible when countries demonstrate strong leadership, domestic ownership and sustained investment in health systems.
The report further noted that Eastern and Southern Africa has made significant progress in the HIV response, with treatment coverage reaching 84 percent among all people living with HIV. However, it warned that major challenges remain, particularly for adolescent girls and young women aged between 15 and 24, who are three to four times more likely to contract HIV than their male counterparts.
Despite treatment gains, the region continues to face deep-rooted social and gender inequalities. International funding still accounts for 38 percent of HIV spending in Eastern and Southern Africa, leaving many countries vulnerable to fluctuations in donor support.
Across Sub-Saharan Africa, annual new HIV infections have declined by 56 percent, contributing to a significant improvement in life expectancy, which increased from 56.5 years in 2010 to 62.3 years. Nevertheless, the region remains the epicentre of the global epidemic, home to more than 60 percent of all people living with HIV worldwide.
The report also highlighted the disproportionate impact of HIV on women and children. Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 83 percent of the 120,000 children who acquired HIV globally due to gaps in maternal health services. Of the 4,000 adolescent girls and young women who acquire HIV each week worldwide, approximately 3,300 are in the region.
In response to concerns over declining international health assistance, African leaders have intensified efforts to strengthen domestic financing and self-reliance. The African Union recently adopted a new 2030 Roadmap, established the African Epidemics Fund and launched the “Accra Reset” initiative aimed at supporting sustainable health financing and epidemic preparedness.
Globally, the report recorded major progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS. New infections have fallen by 40 percent and AIDS-related deaths by 54 percent since 2010, reaching their lowest levels in more than three decades. By 2024, approximately 31.6 million of the world’s 40.8 million people living with HIV were receiving life-saving treatment.
However, the UN cautioned that the world has fallen short of its broader 2025 targets. An estimated 9.2 million people still lack access to treatment, while 630,000 AIDS-related deaths and 1.3 million new HIV infections were recorded in 2024.
The report identified shrinking donor assistance, rising debt burdens and growing restrictions on human rights as key threats to continued progress. It also noted that nearly half of all new HIV infections globally now occur among key populations and their sexual partners.
At the same time, the UN highlighted promising medical advances, including long-acting injectable HIV prevention medicines such as lenacapavir. New generic manufacturing agreements are expected to significantly reduce costs, making preventive treatment more accessible for developing countries.
Looking ahead, the United Nations has adopted a new Global AIDS Strategy for 2026-2031, featuring 16 integrated targets aimed at accelerating progress toward ending the epidemic. Reduced drug prices have also lowered the estimated annual funding required to end AIDS globally by 2030 from US$29.3 billion to US$21.9 billion.
Botswana’s success in achieving the 95-95-95 targets places the country among the world’s leading examples of effective HIV prevention, treatment and care, and demonstrates the impact of sustained national commitment in the fight against the epidemic.
