UN Secretary General Antonio Gutteres. ( Photo: Courtesy).

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Gutteres on Friday appealed to richer nations to contribute 8 billion dollars every year to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS as the world marks the pandemic day.

In a press statement, Gutteres said World AIDS Day arrives at a defining moment, and call for global efforts to end the pandemic as a public health threat by 2030.

The UN boss said although AIDS-related deaths have fallen by almost 70 per cent since their peak in 2004, the virus still takes a life every minute.

Mr Gutteres called for a community-led effort to sensitize populations at the grassroots level and connect them to treatment.

“Reaching this goal means heeding this year’s theme: Let Communities Lead. The path to ending AIDS runs through communities,” he said.

“From connecting people to the treatment, services and support they need — to the grassroots activism pushing for action so all people can realize their right to health. Supporting those on the frontlines of the battle against AIDS is how we win.”

He appeals for more funding and placing community leadership at the center of HIV plans, programs, budgets and monitoring efforts.

“We must also remove barriers to community leadership and ensure space for local civil society groups to take forward their vital work. Above all, we need funding. The AIDS response in low and middle-income countries needs over 8 billion dollars more per year to be fully funded.”

HIV is a virus that damages the human immune system. If untreated, it affects and kills the CD4 cells, which are a type of immune cell called T cell.

Most people get HIV get it through sexual intercourse, or sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment.

But the virus is not airborne, and it is not transmitted through greeting, eating or drinking from the same plate.

“AIDS is beatable. Let’s finish the job by supporting communities to end this scourge in their neighborhoods, their countries and around the world,” said Gutteres.

According to a 2022 UNAIDS report, adolescent girls and young women are three times more likely to be infected with HIV than boys and men of the same age.

The UN agency said inequalities still persist for the most basic services like testing, treatment, and condoms, and even more so for new technologies.

Young women in Africa remain disproportionately affected by HIV, while coverage of dedicated programmes for them remains too low, it adds.