India, Nov. 26 -- The global response to HIV is facing its most serious setback in decades, UNAIDS warned on Tuesday, as abrupt funding cuts and a deteriorating human rights environment disrupt prevention and treatment services across dozens of countries.

Launching its 2025 World AIDS Day report, Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response, UNAIDS said international assistance has sharply declined, with OECD projections showing external health funding could fall by 30-40 per cent in 2025 compared with 2023.

The impact has been immediate and severe, especially in low- and middle-income countries highly affected by HIV.

"Behind every data point in this report are people. babies missed for HIV screening, young women cut off from...