Speaking at the United Nations high-level meeting on AIDS, she cited UNAIDS, which has said that low- and middle-income countries require about US$29 billion a year to respond to HIV.

“It is commendable that domestic investments in HIV responses in low- and middle-income countries have grown by 50% since 2010, with donor support increasing by 7%. But more is needed,” she said.

Adeeba, the president of the International AIDS Society, said the cost of responding to HIV would increase if the government continues to fall short on its commitments, funding and action towards tackling the disease.

“Governments cannot afford to pick and choose aspects of the Global AIDS Strategy, and cannot afford to under-invest, financially or politically.”

She said this increase in resources and investments can be channelled towards the prevention of HIV, tailored to different communities. More investment can also go towards efforts to reduce societal stigma against HIV/AIDS.

Other key investment areas include coming up with robust evidence, including community-led research to guide policies, practices and innovations surrounding the disease.

Adeeba, who is also the Malaysian AIDS Foundation chairman, suggested that these resources can be raised by coming up with efficient, evidence-based programmes, preventing new infections, and also implementing human rights-based policies that remove structural inequities which cause poor health.

On a related matter, she noted that social inequities still remain a large factor behind HIV transmissions.

“The latest UNAIDS data show that the relative risk of HIV infection among female sex workers, gay and other men who have sex with men, transgender people and people who inject drugs is disproportionately high.

“In prisons and other closed settings, HIV prevalence is six times higher than in the general population,” she said.

Therefore, she said, countries must also do away with laws and policies that criminalise certain groups or encourage inequities in society.