Egypt

Key Results in 2024

HIV prevention, testing and treatment services were scaled up, reaching over 41 000 key populations.
Harm reduction programmes were expanded, including distribution of 1.85 million needles and syringes for over 27 000 people who inject drugs, and opioid agonist therapy serving 2000 people who inject drugs in 13 sites.
Over 800 medical providers enhanced their capacity in HIV prevention, stigma reduction, treatment, and neonatal care.
Over 5600 new individuals enrolled in antiretroviral treatment bringing the total to 25 000.

Joint Programme Results

Egypt advanced HIV prevention, treatment and care through strategic planning and service expansion. The Joint Programme supported the development of the National AIDS Strategy (2025–2030), integrating innovative interventions to reach key populations, improved access to HIV services and a robust monitoring and evaluation framework (WHO, UNAIDS Secretariat).

The Joint Programme and partners also scaled up HIV services for key populations, reaching over 41 000 gay men and other men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs and female sex workers with targeted counselling. Subsequently, over 35 600 of them were tested for HIV. HIV prevention efforts also included the distribution of over 336 000 condoms (UNDP, UNODC, UNAIDS Secretariat).

In 2024, over 5600 individuals were newly enrolled on antiretroviral treatment (ART), bringing the total to about 25 000, including more than 1 000 displaced persons from Sudan and Gaza (UNHCR, WHO, UNAIDS Secretariat, IOM).

In addition, the Joint Programme’s supported opioid agonist therapy programme was expanded to 13 sites, serving 2000 people who inject drugs. Harm reduction efforts also included the distribution of 1.85 million needles and syringes for over 27 000 people who inject drugs (UNODC, WHO, UNAIDS Secretariat).

HIV incidence per 1000 uninfected populations

Source: AIDSinfo

AIDS mortality per 1000 population

Source: AIDSinfo

Progress towards 95-95-95 targets

Source: AIDSinfo

Training and awareness initiatives directly improved HIV service delivery. Eleven sessions equipped 220 primary healthcare providers with the skills to counsel and support pregnant women. Additionally, 600 medical personnel across eight governorates were trained to integrate HIV testing into maternal health services, enhancing provider capacity in HIV prevention, stigma reduction, treatment and neonatal care (UNICEF, WHO).

Strengthening capacity at community level, HIV self-testing was piloted by two civil society organizations. Support was provided to train outreach teams and counsellors and develop training materials in Arabic, ultimately reaching 1000 beneficiaries. Economic empowerment programmes benefited more than 150 women living with HIV. These vocational training workshops covered self-employment, communication and marketing skills (UNDP, WHO, UNAIDS Secretariat).

A media workshop trained 25 media activists to promote HIV services for key populations and emphasized the reduction of stigma and discrimination through positive media coverage (Secretariat). The World AIDS Day campaign reached over 2 million people, generating over 20 000 engagements and more than 70 000 followers via the Like Any Disease campaign (UNAIDS Secretariat).

The Joint Programme supported the development of Egypt’s new National AIDS Strategy (2025–2030), validated through a multi-stakeholder consultative process. Technical support was also provided for the Global Fund Grant Cycle 7, which included innovative approaches to reach key populations and close the gap towards the first 95% of people knowing their HIV status (WHO, UNAIDS Secretariat).

The Joint Programme also secured high-level political commitment for sustainable full domestic financing of ART and HIV clinical care, thus ensuring sustainable access and more national ownership of the HIV response (UNAIDS Secretariat).

Together with its implementing partners, the Joint Programme delivered comprehensive HIV services to refugees and asylum seekers, including voluntary and provider-initiated testing and counselling, laboratory diagnostics, treatment for opportunistic infections and side effects and psychosocial support. As a result, close to 2000 individuals were tested for HIV, with about 230 diagnosed and promptly initiated on ART (UNHCR, UNAIDS Secretariat).