GENEVA, 12 December 2025–For the past four decades, the HIV response has worked hard advocating for HIV treatment but also other HIV and health services that are free, without stigma or discrimination, people-centred, and grounded in human rights. It is by delivering inclusive, rights-based HIV and health services, that Universal Health Coverage (UHC) can be achieved.

On Universal Health Coverage Day, UNAIDS stresses the importance of UHC so that everyone has access to the quality health services they need without suffering financial hardship due to the cost of paying for those services. UHC should include quality essential HIV services from prevention to treatment through a clearly defined health benefit package.

“The HIV response is a stress test for UHC so when people living with HIV, key and other vulnerable populations are excluded, the entire health system fails,” said Angeli Achrekar, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Programmes. “When they are included however, the system becomes stronger, fairer and more efficient for all.”

Currently 9.2 million people still do not have access to HIV treatment, and millions more cannot obtain PrEP– medicine which prevents HIV. UHC, health security, and ending HIV, Tuberculosis and malaria are not separate ambitions. They are intersecting global goals that can only be attained as one. In addition, as the HIV movement learned long ago: health is never just the health sector’s job.

Communities have shown the clearest path to UHC with community-led testing, peer navigation, differentiated service delivery, rights advocacy, and accountability. People need integrated services throughout their lives, delivered where and by whom they prefer, including by their own communities.

“UHC cannot be universal unless it works for people living with HIV and other affected communities,” said Florence Riako Anam, Co-Executive Director GNP+ (Global Network of People Living with HIV). “UHC will only succeed when our voices, our leadership, and our lived experience shape the services and care we rely on to stay alive.”

On UHC Day, UNAIDS calls on governments and partners to:

• Sustainably fund HIV and community-led services
• Remove discriminatory and punitive laws
• Integrate HIV services with primary health care without compromising rights or quality
• Put people living with HIV and communities at the centre of decision-making, service delivery design and implementation

Ending AIDS and achieving UHC together is a powerful and necessary legacy for today’s leaders. It is also a shared responsibility from governments, communities, development partners to the private sector as well as individuals. The forthcoming Global AIDS Strategy for 2026–2031 and the next generation of HIV integration targets are fully aligned with UHC affirming that progress on HIV and progress on universal health coverage is inseparable.

The way forward is integration.