A child infected by HIV every 100 seconds, a new Unicef report reveals
Approximately once every minute and 40 seconds, a child or a young person under the age of 20 were infected with the AIDS virus last year, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reported, calling on governments to “protect, sustain and accelerate” efforts to combat childhood HIV.
Prevention efforts and treatment for children remain some of the lowest amongst key affected populations, and in 2019, a little less than half of the children worldwide did not have access to life-saving treatment, UNICEF said in a new report on Wednesday.
“There is still no HIV vaccine. Children are still getting infected at alarming rates, and they are still dying from AIDS. This was even before COVID-19 interrupted vital HIV treatment and prevention services,” said @unicefchief.
The numbers are shocking
Nearly 320,000 children and adolescents were newly infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and 110,000 children died of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) last year.
“Children are still getting infected at alarming rates, and they are still dying from AIDS. This was even before COVID-19 interrupted vital HIV treatment and prevention services putting countless more lives at risk”, said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore.
The AIDS virus and COVID-19
According to UNICEF, the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened inequalities in access to life-saving HIV) services for children, adolescents, and pregnant mothers everywhere, and there are serious concerns that one-third of high HIV burden countries could face coronavirus-related disruptions.
“Even as the world struggles in the midst of an ongoing global pandemic, hundreds of thousands of children continue to suffer the ravages of the HIV epidemic”, said Ms. Fore.
Data from the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), cited in the report, shows the impact of control measures, supply chain disruptions, lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), and the redeployment of healthcare workers on HIV services.
Challenges remain
Pediatric HIV treatment and viral load testing in children in some countries fell by 50 to 70 percent, and new treatment initiation by 25 to 50 percent in April and May, coinciding with partial and full lockdowns to control the novel coronavirus.
Health facility deliveries and maternal treatment were also reported to have reduced by 20 to 60 percent, maternal HIV testing and antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation by 25 to 50 percent, and infant testing services by approximately 10 percent.
Though the easing of control measures and the strategic targeting of children and pregnant mothers have successfully led to a rebound of services in recent months, challenges remain, and the world is still far from achieving the global 2020 pediatric HIV targets, said UNICEF.
