By Winfred Watenya
According to a new report by the Global Alliance for Ending AIDS in Children by 2030 released on Monday, an immediate increase in HIV services is needed in the countries most affected by the pandemic to end AIDS by 2030.
The Global Alliance was launched by the World Health Organization (WHO), UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in 2022 and includes 12 African countries.
The new report – Transforming Vision Into Reality – also highlights significant progress in averting four million infections among children aged 0-14 years old since 2000 through programmes targeting vertical transmission of HIV- that is, from mother to child.
Many of the countries in the Global Alliance have achieved significant coverage of lifelong antiretroviral therapy among HIV-positive pregnant and breastfeeding women. Uganda has neared a 100 per cent achievement.
“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,” UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima said.
Ms. Byanyima said modern medicines and science help ensure babies are born and remain HIV-free through effective treatment. But this treatment, she said, must be increased to ensure that all children are reached.
