HIV Testing Falls Since the Pandemic, Widening the Diagnosis Gap

Overview

• A reported 22% drop in HIV testing since COVID-19 has raised concerns about delayed diagnoses and slowed progress.
• UNAIDS estimates 40.8 million people are living with HIV worldwide, with about 16% unaware of their status.
• Brazil offers universal, free antiretroviral therapy through SUS, provides PrEP with a prescription, and has sold HIV self-tests in pharmacies since 2017.
• New options such as the Panbio HIV Self-Test for individuals and CheckNOW for public programs are expanding rapid, private testing outside clinics.
• Rio de Janeiro reports less than 1% positivity in December, the lowest since 2014, with fewer cases of vertical transmission and 93% of treated patients achieving undetectable viral load.