PAHO, AIDS Healthcare Foundation Sign Agreement to Expand Early HIV Diagnosis in Latin America and the Caribbean

RIO DE JANEIRO, BrazEarly HIV Diagnosis — :  The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) have signed a new collaboration agreement aimed at expanding early HIV diagnosis across Latin America and the Caribbean. By

The agreement, announced during the International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026) in Rio de Janeiro, seeks to improve access to HIV testing, ensure people are linked to treatment more quickly, and reduce preventable AIDS-related deaths across the region. 

According to PAHO, late diagnosis remains a significant challenge. In 2025, approximately 34 per cent of new HIV diagnoses in the region were made at an advanced stage of infection, while an estimated 32,000 people died from AIDS-related causes. 

Under the partnership, PAHO and AHF will work to expand access to rapid HIV testing, HIV self-testing, and community-based testing services. The initiative will also strengthen efforts to connect people diagnosed with HIV to timely treatment and long-term care, while promoting the exchange of best practices among countries in the region. 

PAHO estimates that about 2.1 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean were receiving antiretroviral therapy in 2025, representing roughly 72 per cent treatment coverage. However, around 900,000 people remain without treatment, highlighting the need to improve diagnosis and access to care. 

The collaboration supports regional and global efforts to eliminate HIV as a public health threat by 2030, in line with PAHO’s Disease Elimination Initiative and the Alliance for HIV Elimination in the Americas.