A new report by the Global Alliance for Ending AIDS in Children by 2030 highlights the urgent need to accelerate HIV services in the most affected countries to achieve the goal of ending AIDS in children by 2030. Despite significant progress, such as averting 4 million infections among children since 2000 and reducing new HIV infections by 38% and AIDS-related deaths by 43% since 2015, critical gaps remain.
Key achievements include high coverage of lifelong antiretroviral therapy for pregnant and breastfeeding women in several Global Alliance countries, with Uganda nearing 100%, Tanzania at 98%, and South Africa at 97%. However, the pace of progress has slowed, and neither global targets nor those of the Alliance countries are on track to meet commitments for children and adolescents.
UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima emphasized the urgency of scaling up HIV services to protect children from HIV and ensure they receive necessary treatment. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, stressed the moral and political imperative to accelerate HIV service delivery for children and adolescents.
In 2023, 120,000 children aged 0-14 were newly infected with HIV, with 77,000 of these cases in Global Alliance countries. AIDS-related deaths in children remain alarmingly high, with 76,000 globally and 49,000 in Alliance countries. High vertical transmission rates persist, particularly in Western and Central Africa.
Efforts to close the treatment gap between adults and children are critical, with only 57% of children living with HIV receiving life-saving treatment compared to 77% of adults. UNICEF Associate Director Anurita Bains called for innovative testing approaches and support for governments to scale up HIV services for children and adolescents.
Gender inequalities and human rights violations further exacerbate the vulnerability of women and girls to HIV. Addressing these issues is crucial to reducing new infections and achieving the 2025 target of fewer than 10% of women, key populations, and people living with HIV experiencing gender-based violence.
The Global Alliance, launched in 2022 by WHO, UNICEF, and UNAIDS, includes civil society movements, national governments, and international partners. Twelve member countries are committed to this cause: Angola, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The report calls for renewed commitment and innovation to fulfill the promise of ending AIDS in children by 2030.
