The United Nations Children’s company, UNICEF, stated Monday that round 110,000 kids and adolescents aged 0 and 19 died from AIDS-related causes final yr.
Ahead of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, UNICEF launched its newest international snapshot on kids and HIV/AIDS.
Another 310,000 had been newly contaminated, bringing the entire variety of younger folks residing with HIV to 2.7 million, in keeping with UNICEF.
Progress on HIV prevention and therapy for kids, adolescents, and pregnant girls has practically flatlined over the previous three years, it stated.
“Though children have long lagged behind adults in the AIDS response, the stagnation seen in the last three years is unprecedented, putting too many young lives at risk of sickness and death,” stated UNICEF Associate Chief of HIV/AIDS Anurita Bains.
“Children are falling through the cracks because we are collectively failing to find and test them and get them on life-saving treatment. Every day that goes by without progress, over 300 children and adolescents lose their fight against AIDS.”
UNICEF warned that until the drivers of inequities are addressed, ending AIDS in kids and adolescents will proceed to be a distant dream.
However, longer-term traits stay optimistic and new HIV infections amongst youthful kids aged 0 and 14 dropped by 52% from 2010 to 2021.
New infections amongst adolescents aged 15 and 19 additionally dropped by 40%.
While the entire variety of kids residing with HIV is on the decline, the therapy hole between kids and adults continues to develop, stated UNICEF.
