An Economist Impact study released yesterday says that fully funding the response to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) would prevent around 810,000 new infections in Mozambique between 2022 and 2030.

The study, carried out in 13 African countries and supported by the Joint United Nations Program on HIV (UNAIDS), shows that allocating 100% of the funding needed to meet the goals of the 2021 Political Declaration, instead of the spending currently in place, "would save millions of lives and produce substantial health, social and economic gains".

"Not only would there be 40% to 90% fewer new HIV infections, depending on the country, but it would improve educational outcomes, especially for young women and girls, reduce gender inequalities and boost economic growth," concluded the research, quoted by the Observer.

The research also says that the effect would be greater in the most affected countries, such as Mozambique and South Africa, preventing 810,000 and 1.35 million new HIV infections respectively between 2022 and 2030.

According to the latest figures from the Planning and Coordination of the National Council to Combat Aids, Mozambique is the second country, after South Africa, with the most cases of people infected with HIV in the world and, despite progress, in 2022, 48,000 people died from the virus in the country.