“Promise yourself that you will take your medications for life,” Mishra told PakGazette in a message to mark World AIDS Day on Monday.
“Your medication is your greatest protection.”he added.
However, the global response to HIV for the more than 40 million people living with the disease is facing its most serious setback in decades, UNAIDS – which is fighting to end the epidemic by 2030 – said last week with funding cuts disrupting prevention and treatment.
On World AIDS Day this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) called on governments and partners to expand access to new WHO-approved tools, including lenacapavir (LEN), to reduce infections and counter the disruption caused by cuts to foreign aid.
Advances in prevention
“We face significant challenges, with cuts in international funding and stagnation in prevention.“said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO.
“At the same time, we have important opportunities, with exciting new tools that have the potential to change the trajectory of the HIV epidemic.”
Despite dramatic declines in funding, the global response to HIV has gained momentum in 2025, according to the WHO.
In October of this year, the organization prequalified LEN, a highly effective twice-yearly injectable for HIV prevention. This was followed by national regulatory approvals to increase access in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
WHO is also working closely with partners to enable affordable access to LEN in countries.
“By combining these advances with decisive action, supporting communities and removing structural barriers, we can ensure that key and vulnerable populations have full access to life-saving services,” said Tereza Kasaeva, who heads the organization’s HIV and other diseases department.
Communities drive the HIV response
UNAIDS warned last week that the number of people starting treatment has fallen in 13 countries, while more than 60 percent of women-led organizations say they have been forced to suspend essential services.
The UN agency highlights that communities are the driving force of the HIV response, providing education and support to those living with AIDS and collaborating with health workers and policymakers to advocate for access to treatment.
“The pain, the fear and the mental pressure that we ourselves have felt – through that experience – we know how important a role peer support plays in anyone’s life,” Ms Mishra told PakGazette, speaking of the importance of community.
Organizations like the National Coalition of People Living with HIV in India (NCPI+), for which Ms. Mishra works, combat stigma and reach out to vulnerable populations to help them access HIV treatment, prevention, among other services.
“We have started this movement, but how to sustain it for a long time is a big question. Because until the network is strong, we will not be able to provide services on the ground, reach young people or provide peer support,” he said.
