Without substantial improvements in public health funding and policy implementation, many European nations are on course to miss their 2030 goals for combating infectious diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis (TB), hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), according to a recent warning from regional health authorities.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reports that these illnesses continue to claim nearly 57,000 lives each year across the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
Despite some advances, overall progress is lagging. For instance, new HIV infections have dropped by 35% since 2010, and TB cases have similarly declined by 35% since 2015. However, both figures fall short of the region’s interim targets—a 75% reduction for HIV and 50% for TB by 2025. Deaths from AIDS-related conditions have also fallen by 30% over the past 13 years, with 3,300 fatalities recorded in 2023, though the goal had been to cut that number by half.
“These diseases are preventable, as is the burden they place on health systems, patients, and their families,” ECDC Director Pamela Rendi-Wagner said in a statement.
The situation remains troubling in other areas. Deaths from hepatitis B and C remain high, with acute hepatitis B cases on the rise. These infections, often transmitted through sexual activity or shared drug-use equipment, pose severe health risks, including cirrhosis and liver cancer.
STIs such as gonorrhoea and syphilis are also spiking, reaching historic highs in several countries.
While TB detection has improved, with most new and relapsed cases now being identified, treatment adherence is problematic. In 2022, only 68% of patients completed their TB treatment regimen, well below the 90% target. Drug resistance further complicates treatment outcomes.
In response, the ECDC has urged governments to expand access to preventive measures like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV, increase hepatitis B vaccination coverage, and promote condom use. They also stress the importance of scaling up testing services to identify infections earlier, improving data collection, and supporting patients—particularly those facing long-term treatments like TB.
“We have five years to act; we must make them count,” Rendi-Wagner said.
