The latest UN report emphasizes the critical need to expand HIV services in countries hardest hit by the pandemic to achieve the goal of ending AIDS by 2030.
Key highlights from the report include:
- Since 2015, new HIV infections among children aged 0-14 have decreased by 38%, and AIDS-related deaths in this age group have dropped by 43%.
- Programs targeting the vertical transmission of HIV have prevented 4 million infections among children since 2000.
- Countries like Uganda, Tanzania, and South Africa have made significant strides, achieving near-universal coverage of lifelong antiretroviral therapy for pregnant and breastfeeding women with HIV.
UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima emphasized, “With current medicines and scientific advancements, ensuring all babies are born and remain HIV-free is achievable. Any child’s death due to AIDS-related causes is both tragic and unacceptable. The world must fulfill its promise to end AIDS in children by 2030.”
However, despite these achievements, the report cautions that global efforts and commitments related to HIV for children and adolescents are off track. Progress in preventing new infections and reducing AIDS-related deaths among children has slowed in recent years.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), stated, “While we’ve made strides in expanding access to testing and treatment for pregnant women to prevent vertical HIV transmission, there’s still a substantial gap in pediatric treatment.”
In 2023 alone, approximately 120,000 children aged 0-14 contracted HIV globally, with 77,000 new infections occurring in countries associated with the Global Alliance for Ending AIDS in Children by 2030. AIDS-related deaths in this age group totaled 76,000 globally, with 49,000 occurring in these countries.
Vertical transmission rates remain high in certain regions, particularly in Western and Central Africa. There’s also a widening treatment gap between adults and children, with only 57% of children living with HIV receiving life-saving treatment compared to 77% of adults, according to UNICEF Associate Director of HIV/AIDS Anurita Bains.
Aside from addressing the pediatric HIV crisis, the report underscores the need to prevent new infections among young women and girls aged 15-24. In 2023, there were 210,000 new infections globally in this age group, far exceeding the goal of 50,000 infections by 2025.
Launched in 2022 by WHO, UNICEF, and UNAIDS, the Global Alliance for Ending AIDS in Children by 2030 involves civil society movements, national governments, and international partners committed to this crucial agenda.
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