Press Release: PEPFAR Commemorates World AIDS Day 2022

Today, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) commemorates World AIDS Day as it reaffirms its commitment to the global fight against HIV/AIDS, remembering the 39 million people who have died of AIDS worldwide since the start of the pandemic.

We are proud of the tremendous progress we have made through PEPFAR, including the 25 million lives that have been saved around the globe.  The Biden-Harris Administration is dedicated to ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat globally. In support of this goal, PEPFAR is working with partners across the world to address health disparities among communities that continue to be left behind and have been disproportionately affected by multiple pandemics; which aligns with this year’s theme, “Putting Ourselves to the Test: Achieving Equity to End HIV.”

“We have to remember, we’re fighting the virus, not the people. Inequities are one of the biggest barriers to ending the HIV/AIDS pandemic,” said U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Special Representative for Health Diplomacy Ambassador at Large Dr. John Nkengasong. In an interconnected planet, World AIDS Day reminds us that the collective work to bring this pandemic to an end is a shared responsibility. As we celebrate how far we have come, we must continue our focus to close the gaps that remain and threaten the most vulnerable among us.

Ahead of its 20th anniversary coming in 2023, PEPFAR is reinvigorating the U.S. global HIV/AIDS response to achieve the shared vision of ending the HIV/AIDS pandemic by 2030, while sustainably strengthening public health systems. As part of a new five-year strategy, PEPFAR will center its focus on collaboration and partnership to confront the challenge of fighting HIV/AIDS as a security threat in the wake of other emerging health threats.

To sustain its gains in the global fight against HIV/AIDS, PEPFAR is deeply committed to ending the inequities and service gaps that still stand in the way of disenfranchised communities. PEPFAR supports partner countries and communities to ensure that people of all ages, genders, and population groups have equitable access to life-saving HIV prevention and treatment services.