Vatican urges renewed global commitment to end AIDS at UN meeting

At the United Nations high‑level meeting on HIV/AIDS in New York, the Holy See’s interim chargé d’affaires, Msgr. Marco Formica, highlighted the 65 % decline in new infections since 2010 but warned that children remain especially vulnerable. He noted that children constitute about 3 % of people living with HIV yet account for 12 % of AIDS‑related deaths, underscoring gaps in diagnosis and treatment.

The Vatican called for expanded investment in health systems, research and local production of medicines, and stressed the need for quality antenatal, perinatal and postpartum care. Quoting Pope Leo XIV, the Holy See warned against “a society that races ahead … while ignoring … poverty and vulnerability.” It also reminded that Catholic healthcare institutions provide roughly a quarter of global HIV‑related care and pledged to continue supporting dignified treatment for all people living with HIV.