eliminating HIV remains a feasible goal in the Americas, but the gap between available technology and real access continues to mark the health response. The PAHO stated that the region already has the tools to move toward that goal, although shortcomings in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment persist.
From Rio de Janeiro, the organization stressed that the problem is not the absence of solutions, but their unequal distribution. In practice, eliminating HIV depends on more people gaining access to timely testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis PrEP, and sustained antiretroviral therapy, three pillars that PAHO itself considers decisive.
Regional evidence also points in that direction. In 2025, PAHO presented an alliance to accelerate the elimination of HIV in the Americas, focused on expanded diagnosis, the expansion of PrEP, and the introduction of long-acting injectable options such as lenacapavir, in addition to more effective treatments to sustain viral suppression.
eliminating HIV with early diagnosis
Detection continues to be one of the most visible barriers. Without early diagnosis, people arrive late to treatment and transmission probabilities increase. For this reason, PAHO has insisted on expanding self-testing and bringing testing to populations with less access to health services.
- Faster testing to detect cases in time.
- Oral and injectable PrEP for people at higher risk.
- Continuous treatment to prevent interruptions.
eliminating HIV and the regional response
Global data show progress, but still insufficient. UNAIDS reported that since 2010 new HIV infections have dropped 40% worldwide, although in 2024 there were still 1.3 million new infections recorded. In the region, the challenge remains to reduce inequalities between countries, territories, and population groups.
PAHO has also warned that strategies work best when combined with sustainable financing, agile regulation, and community participation. In parallel, international agencies have reiterated that access to health services, information, and prevention is key to sustaining the response.
eliminating HIV requires less inequality
The underlying message is clear: eliminating HIV depends not only on biomedical advances, but on those advances reaching those who need them most. As long as access barriers persist, the objective will remain technically within reach, but socially incomplete.
PAHO insists that the Americas have the scientific and health capacity to eliminate HIV, but warns that success will depend on closing persistent gaps in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment throughout the region.
