HIV continues to be a major global public health issue, having claimed 40.1 million [33.6–48.6 million] lives so far. There were an estimated 38.4 million [33.9–43.8 million] people living with HIV at the end of 2021, 650 000 [510 000–860 000] people died from HIV-related causes and 1.5 million [1.1–2.0 million] people acquired HIV. To reach the new proposed global 95–95–95 targets set by UNAIDS, we will need to redouble our efforts to avoid the worst-case scenario of 7.7 million HIV-related deaths over the next 10 years. Exposure to the risk factors influences patient health outcomes, particularly in chronic conditions such as HIV leading to progression of the disease and reduced quality of life. To forestall these, risk variables of poor immune recovery should be assessed and addressed appropriately.