1.1 million HIV infections in children averted –UNICEF

An estimated 1.1 million HIV infections
among children under 15 have been averted,
as new cases declined by over 50 per cent
between 2005 and 2013, according to data
released by UNICEF for the World AIDS Day.

According to the organization, This
extraordinary progress is the result of
expanding the access of millions of pregnant
women living with HIV to services for the
prevention of mother to child transmission
(PMTCT). These include lifelong HIV treatment
that markedly reduces the transmission of
the virus to babies and keeps their mothers
alive and well.

"If we can avert 1.1 million new HIV infections
in children, we can protect every child from
HIV – but only if we reach every child," said
UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. "We
must close the gap, and invest more in
reaching every mother, every newborn, every
child and every adolescent with HIV
prevention and treatment programmes that
can save and improve their lives."

The sharpest declines took place between
2009 and 2013 in eight African countries:
Malawi (67%); Ethiopia (57%); Zimbabwe
(57%); Botswana (57%); Namibia (57%);
Mozambique (57%); South Africa (52%) and
Ghana (50%).

But the global goal of reducing new HIV
infections in children by 90 per cent between
2009 and 2015 is still out of reach. Only 67
per cent of pregnant women living with HIV in
all lowand middle-income countries received
the most effective antiretroviral medicines for
PMTCT i n 2013.

Disparity in access to treatment is hampering
progress. Among people living with HIV in
low- and middle-income countries, adults are
much more likely than children to get
antiretroviral therapy (ART). In 2013, 37 per
cent of adults aged 15 and older received
treatment, compared with only 23 per cent of
children (aged 0-14) – or less than 1 in 4.

AIDS mortality trends for adolescents are also
of significant concern. While all other age
groups have experienced a decline of nearly
40 per cent in AIDSrelated deaths between
2005 and 2013, adolescents (aged 10-19) are
the only age group in which AIDS-related
deaths are not decreasing.
Posted By David Aniemeka