Urgent scale-up of HIV services needed to end AIDS by 2030 – report

A new report by the Global Alliance for Ending AIDS in Children by 2030 has sounded the alarm on the need for an urgent scale-up of HIV services in countries worst affected by the pandemic to achieve the goal of ending AIDS by 2030.

The report, “Transforming Vision into Reality”, reveals that Western and Central Africa, particularly Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have extremely high vertical transmission rates, exceeding 20%.

Despite progress in averting 4 million infections among children aged 0-14 years old since 2000, and a 38% decline in new HIV infections among children aged 0-14 years old since 2015, the report warns that the world is not on track to meet HIV-related commitments for children and adolescents.

Furthermore, the pace of progress in preventing new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths among children has slowed in recent years, highlighting the need for renewed efforts.

However, the report also highlights successes in some Global Alliance countries, where strong coverage of lifelong antiretroviral therapy among pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV has been achieved:

· Uganda: nearing 100%

· United Republic of Tanzania: 98%

· South Africa: 97%

· Mozambique: 90%

· Zambia: 90%

· Angola: 89%

· Kenya: 89%

· Zimbabwe: 88%

· Cote d’Ivoire: 84%

These countries demonstrate that progress is possible with commitment and investment. Nevertheless, the report emphasizes that more needs to be done to end AIDS in children by 2030, and that an urgent scale-up of HIV services is required in countries with high transmission rates.