WHO will participate in AIDS 2026, the 26th International AIDS Conference, taking place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and virtually from 26–31 July 2026. WHO will have a prominent presence throughout the conference, from the opening ceremony and plenary sessions to high-level bilateral meetings and engagement with communities living with or affected by HIV.
At this year’s conference, WHO will launch the first global mid-term assessment of progress under the Global Health Sector Strategies on HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections, marking the halfway point to the 2030 targets. The report provides a comprehensive overview of where the world stands, highlighting achievements to date, identifying critical gaps, and outlining the urgent actions needed to get back on track to end these epidemics as public health threats by 2030.
Through satellite sessions, WHO will present its latest recommendations on HIV and STI prevention, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring, including new guidance on doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (DoxyPEP), and new consolidated HIV surveillance guidance to help countries strengthen routine HIV surveillance systems and make better use of national health data for action.
On the margins of the conference, the high-level event “World Hepatitis Day 2026: Breaking Down Barriers to Accelerate Hepatitis Elimination” will be convened on World Hepatitis Day – 28 July – to mobilize political leadership, strengthen partnerships, and accelerate progress towards eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. Organized by the Government of Brazil and WHO, the event will provide a platform for dialogue on expanding access to hepatitis prevention, testing and treatment services, while addressing persistent barriers that continue to impede progress.
The International AIDS Conference is the world's largest and most influential gathering on HIV research and its application. It provides a unique opportunity for WHO to showcase its normative leadership and contribute to the global health sector response to HIV, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections and other related health challenges. Since 1988, WHO has been a strategic partner of the IAS conferences, providing technical, financial and strategic support. The conference brings together heads of state, government representatives, donors, researchers, civil society organizations, communities and other key stakeholders, making it a critical platform for shaping the future of the global HIV response.
AIDS 2026 comes at a pivotal moment for the global HIV response. Amid an unprecedented funding crisis and significant reductions in HIV programme financing, the conference will bring together people living with HIV, researchers, policy-makers, health-care professionals, funders, media representatives and communities to rethink, rebuild and reinvigorate the response to HIV and AIDS.
Dates and times
26–31 July 2026
Brasília time, UTC-03:00
Conference venue
AIDS 2026 will be hosted at the Riocentro Convention & Event Center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Registration
Participation in AIDS 2026 is by registration only. Please register here.
WHO programme highlights at AIDS 2026
This brochure provides an overview of WHO's participation at AIDS 2026, featuring key events, technical sessions, new WHO normative products, scientific and community engagement activities.
Agenda
WHO is convening several prime satellite/symposia sessions. Key highlights are outlined below, and the full conference programme is available here.
Pre-conference: Advancing HIV prevention science and access
Sunday, 26 July | 08:00–19:00 | Room 202 | Online programme | Organized by IAS.
This pre-conference programme will examine the latest advances across basic, translational, clinical and implementation science and explore how emerging discoveries can inform equitable, real-world prevention strategies.
Pre-conference: Rethinking Triple Elimination: Integrated antenatal and postnatal care to drive elimination of vertical transmission (EVT) and accelerate women’s and family health
Sunday, 26 July | 08:00–13:00 | Room 203 | Online programme | Organized by PATH, WHO, Unitaid, International Community of Women living with HIV—Eastern Africa, World Hepatitis Alliance, Evidence Action.
This pre-conference will convene governments, community organizations, normative agencies, implementers, and the private sector to envision how integrated disease management throughout the peripartum period can drive progress toward triple elimination and universal health coverage goals.
Satellite: From evidence to access: implementation science to inform lenacapavir scale-up
Monday, 27 July | 09:30–11:00 | Room 204 | Online programme | Organized by The Gates Foundation, Unitaid and WHO.
Explores how implementation science can accelerate equitable introduction of long-acting lenacapavir for HIV prevention by translating early country experience into policy, differentiated service delivery models and future research priorities.
Satellite: WHO clinical, service delivery and surveillance updates: new recommendations for HIV and sexually transmitted infections
Monday, 27 July | 15:00–16:30 | Room 201 | Online programme | Organized by WHO.
Presentation of WHO's latest recommendations on HIV and STI prevention, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring, including guidance on long-acting HIV treatment, HIV PrEP, DoxyPEP and strengthened national HIV surveillance systems for sustainable monitoring.
Satellite: Responding to a new context and looking to 2030 and beyond: WHO frameworks for integrated and sustainable HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis and STI responses
Tuesday, 28 July | 13:30–14:30 | Room 202 | Online programme | Organized by WHO.
Highlights findings from WHO's mid-term assessment of the Global Health Sector Strategies on HIV, viral hepatitis and STIs, outlining a vision for integrated, resilient and sustainable responses, stronger surveillance, country leadership and community engagement in a changing funding landscape.
Workshop: Protecting what works: Sustainable, integrated, key population-sensitive models balancing community-led and facility-based services
Tuesday, 28 July | 14:30–16:30 | Room 101C | Online programme | Organized by WHO.
Interactive workshop examining practical approaches to sustaining HIV, TB, viral hepatitis and STI services for key populations through integrated primary health care, while preserving community leadership, coordination and equitable access despite funding constraints.
Satellite: The future of HIV service delivery is…simplification, self-care, integration, and AI in practice
Wednesday, 29 July | 12:00–13:00 | Room 201 | Online programme | Organized by IAS.
This session will explore four core shifts defining the future of HIV service delivery: simplification, self-care, integration, and digital/AI-enabled approaches. Drawing on emerging findings from a multi-country consultation led by the IAS, speakers will present practical experiences, evidence, and policy considerations from diverse settings.