The red ribbon. Photo illustration by AI
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has announced a landmark achievement: providing life-saving HIV prevention, care, and treatment services to 2.5 million people worldwide, with more than 1.3 million of them living in 15 African nations.
For the organization, the milestone is more than a number. It reflects stories of renewed hope, stronger families, and healthier communities.
It also reinforces AHF’s long-standing vision of advancing equitable access to health care, particularly for the most marginalized.
For Michael Weinstein, President of AHF, the milestone is both humbling and energizing:
“When we began, I never imagined we’d touch 2.5 million lives. This milestone, born of our staff’s courage and our patients’ trust, demands recognition. As George Bernard Shaw said, ‘You see things, and say, Why? But I dream of things that never were, and I say, Why not?’ Our dream—delivering exceptional care to all—has become a reality.”
“We’ve stayed true to our principles, proving hope can shine in a challenging world. Yet, our journey continues. AHF is tackling STIs, hunger, homelessness, and the global HIV epidemic with relentless resolve. I’m deeply honored to serve alongside our extraordinary team.”
Transforming Health Outcomes in Africa
AHF’s footprint in Africa has been especially significant.
In countries such as Malawi, consistent investment in HIV care has helped raise life expectancy from 46 years in the mid-1990s to 67 years today.
This shift means children who once faced the likelihood of being orphaned by HIV can now grow up with their parents. Entire communities, once devastated, are seeing a revival in health and productivity.
This progress is not unique to Malawi.
Across South Africa, Uganda, and 13 other countries where AHF operates, the benefits of expanded access to treatment and prevention are evident: fewer deaths, stronger households, and renewed optimism that ending HIV is possible within a generation.
From Hospice to Global Movement
AHF began in 1987 in Los Angeles, founded as the AIDS Hospice Foundation at the height of the epidemic in the United States.
At that time, the mission was simply to give dignity to people dying of AIDS. Nearly four decades later, it has become the world’s largest HIV/AIDS service organization, with more than 8,000 staff delivering care in 49 countries.
The Foundation has remained rooted in the principle of care without barriers—offering treatment regardless of a person’s ability to pay.
Today, its work extends beyond HIV to include the management of sexually transmitted infections, hunger relief, housing programs, and pandemic preparedness.
This broader mandate acknowledges that public health cannot be isolated from the broader social and economic challenges that shape people’s lives.
Dr. Penninah Iutung, Executive Vice President of AHF and a driving force behind its African programs, reflected on the scale of progress:
“When we launched our first global programs in South Africa and Uganda in 2002, serving 100 clients in each country, we could never have fathomed expanding to 13 more African countries and caring for 1.3 million lives across the continent.”
“Building on years of advocacy and innovation, AHF Africa now delivers programs that go beyond clinical care to include community-led prevention, equitable access strategies, and pandemic preparedness. These successes reflect the deep collaboration with government and civil society partners that has enabled us to reach the most marginalized, advance equity, and ensure no one is left behind.”
Looking Ahead: Beyond the Numbers
AHF’s expansion has been steady and determined. It first passed the quarter-million mark in 2013, doubled that in two years, and by 2018 was supporting 1 million people globally.
By 2020, the figure had risen to 1.5 million, before crossing 2 million in 2024. Just a year later, 2.5 million people are under its care, proof of both scale and trust built over time.
From the ground, program leaders view the milestone as a collective victory. Dr. Nombuso Madonsela, AHF South Africa Country Program Director, explained:
“Being part of this historic milestone is a privilege. AHF South Africa remains steadfast in championing combination prevention, reducing new infections, and ensuring quality service delivery and support for all in our care. Through our Community Power Voices (CPV), we amplify the stories and triumphs of those living with HIV. Ending HIV is not just a dream, it’s a promise we are determined to keep.”
But the organization emphasizes that its work is far from done. Priorities now include reaching underserved populations, dismantling barriers of stigma and poverty, and innovating to address evolving health challenges.
Above all, AHF remains committed to ensuring no one is left behind.
The 2.5 million milestone is not a finish line but a foundation for a future where HIV is no longer a threat and where every individual can live with health, dignity, and hope.
