HIV Cases Reach Historic Low in Russia, Health Ministry Says

More than 930,000 patients with HIV infection are currently registered in Russia, Deputy Health Minister Andrei Plutnitsky said, according to RIA Novosti.

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HIV/AIDS

According to his data, the incidence of HIV in the country has fallen by half since 2016. In 2025, authorities registered 43,000 new HIV cases among Russian citizens, which is 11 percent fewer than in 2024.

"The incidence of HIV infection in the country has been reduced by half and brought to a historic low," Plutnitsky said.

New HIV Cases Continue to Decline

Health officials say the downward trend in HIV infections has continued for several years, with the number of newly diagnosed cases steadily decreasing. The latest figures indicate that the decline persisted throughout 2025, marking another year of improvement in national HIV statistics.

The Health Ministry views the reduction in new infections as a significant achievement in the country's efforts to combat the spread of HIV.

Concerns Remain Over Access to Treatment

Earlier, Russian Academy of Sciences academician Vadim Pokrovsky stated that approximately 350,000 Russians living with the human immunodeficiency virus remain without state-funded therapy because drug procurement covers only citizens included in the federal registry.

According to expert estimates, providing treatment for these patients would require an additional 20 to 25 billion rubles annually.

The issue of access to HIV therapy remains one of the key challenges facing Russia's healthcare system despite the continued decline in new infections.