Sodiq Ojuroungbe
A new report by the Global Alliance for Ending AIDS in Children has revealed that an an urgent scale-up of HIV services for children living with infection in countries worst affected by the HIV to end AIDS by 2030.
According to the global report, despite notable progress, the battle to end AIDS in children by 2030 faces critical hurdles.
The new report published on the World Health Organisation website and obtained by PUNCH Healthwise on Monday noted that global and alliance countries were falling short of their commitments to children and adolescents affected by HIV/AIDS.
The Global Alliance for Ending AIDS in Children by 2030 was launched in 2022 by WHO, the United Nations Children’s Fund, and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS to reinvigorate the paediatric HIV agenda.
It has now grown, and in addition to the United Nations agencies, the alliance includes civil society movements, including the Global Network of People Living with HIV, national governments in the most affected countries, and international partners, including PEPFAR and the Global Fund.
Twelve countries are members: Angola, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The new report titled “Transforming Vision Into Reality,” revealed that in 2023 alone, approximately 120,000 children contracted HIV, with 77,000 of these cases occurring within alliance countries.
It added that AIDS-related deaths claimed 76,000 young lives globally, with alliance countries accounting for 49,000 of these tragic losses.
On the progress made, the report said efforts to prevent vertical transmission of HIV had spared an estimated 4 million children from infection globally since 2000.
It added that recent data shows a 38 per cent decline in new HIV infections among children aged 0-14 since 2015, alongside a 43 per cent decrease in AIDS-related deaths.
According to the report, countries like Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, and South Africa have made significant strides, achieving near-complete coverage of antiretroviral therapy for pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV.
It added, “Among the twelve Global Alliance countries, several have achieved strong coverage of lifelong antiretroviral therapy among pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV, with Uganda nearing 100 per cent, the United Republic of Tanzania at 98 per cent, and South Africa at 97 per cent.
“Mozambique has achieved 90 per cent coverage, with Zambia at 90 per cent, Angola at 89 per cent, Kenya at 89 per cent, Zimbabwe at 88 per cent, and Cote d’Ivoire at 84 per cent.”
Leaders in global health, however, emphasised the urgent need for accelerated delivery and uptake of HIV services tailored to children and adolescents
They also stressed the critical need for sustained commitment and innovative approaches to meet global targets.
The WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesu described the scale-up of services as a moral obligation and a political choice.
“Twelve countries are demonstrating they have made that choice, but significant challenges remain. While we have made progress in increasing access for pregnant women to testing and treatment to prevent vertical transmission of HIV, we are still far from closing the paediatric treatment gap. We need to further strengthen the collaboration and reach of the Global Alliance, and we must do this work with focus, purpose and in solidarity with all affected mothers, children, and adolescents,” he noted.
Contributing, the UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima said, “I applaud the progress that many countries are making in rolling out HIV services to keep young women healthy and to protect babies and children from HIV.
“With the medicines and science available today, we can ensure that all babies are born – and remain – HIV-free, and that all children who are living with HIV get on and stay on treatment. Services for treatment and prevention must be ramped up immediately to ensure that they reach all children everywhere. We cannot rest on our laurels. The death of any child from AIDS-related causes is not only a tragedy but also an outrage. Where I come from, all children are our children. The world can and must keep its promise to end AIDS in children by 2030.”
“In the fight against HIV, we must do a much better job for children,” said
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Peter Sands, said investments in laboratory systems are helping to ensure exposed infants are rapidly tested and those that test positive are quickly initiated on age-appropriate antiretroviral treatment.
He added, “In support of national programmes, we have been procuring the latest dolutegravir-based paediatric treatment regimens at negotiated prices. Differentiated testing and treatment approaches are helping close the diagnostic gap and ensuring more child-centred service delivery.”
The UNICEF Associate Director HIV/AIDS, Anurita Bains lamented that just 57 per cent of children living with HIV receive lifesaving treatment, compared to 77 per cent of adults.
He noted, “Without early and effective testing and treatment, HIV remains a persistent threat to the health and well-being of children and adolescents and puts them at risk of death. To close the treatment gap, we must support governments to scale up innovative testing approaches and ensure children and adolescents living with HIV receive the treatment and support they need.”
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