HIV is a virus which attacks the immune system and causes a lifelong severe illness with a long incubation period. The end-stage of the infection, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), results from the destruction of the immune system.
This report provides a record of the impact noted by countries on HIV services and monitoring capacity which can be used retrospectively to better understand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the HIV situation in the European Region.
Significant disruptions were observed in HIV-specific services, particularly for in-clinic and community-based HIV testing, according to the ECDC report "The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the HIV response in Europe and Central Asia."
In a bid to enhance collaboration and share best practices in HIV prevention and control, representatives from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Cyprus, and Egypt convened in Cairo for the first Exchange of Experts meeting in 2024.
This report presents the available data for describing the current situation regarding HIV prevalence among sex workers, and the efforts being made across Europe and Central Asia towards HIV prevention among this population.
Migrants are a key population affected by HIV across Europe and Central Asia, accounting for 42% of new HIV diagnoses in the EU/EEA in 2021 and 48% of those diagnosed in 2022.
In 2021, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) updated the HIV targets for 2025 as part of the global strategy to end HIV transmission by 2030.