Today is World AIDS Day. AIDS has impacted many people we know and communities of which we are part. Since this is a parenting blog, however, I thought I would highlight some recent statistics about AIDS and children. The numbers, of course, don’t capture the personal stories, the parents who must watch their children die, and vice versa, but the numbers are devastating in their own way:
- According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 2.5 million children among the 33.2 million people living with HIV.
- 270,000 children die of AIDS each year.
- Young people (under 25 years old) account for half of all new HIV infections worldwide.
The international AIDS charity AVERT has launched a campaign to raise awareness about AIDS in children and the need to stop mother-to-child transmission. They inform us:
Each year, around 370,000 children aged under 15 become infected with HIV. Almost all of these infections occur in developing countries, and more than 90% are the result of mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy, labour and delivery, or breastfeeding. Without interventions, there is a 20-45% chance that a baby born to an HIV-infected mother will become infected.
Most infant HIV infections could be averted. The problem is that very few of the world’s pregnant women are being reached by prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services.
The World AIDS Campaign adds:
Children are missing from global awarenss, budgets and action on HIV/AIDS, and do not have the services, care, support and knowledge that they need.
- Fewer than 5% of HIV-positive children have access to treatment.
- Less than 10 % of children who have lost parents to AIDS get public support or care.
I was somewhat heartened, however, to learn that over 13 million children from 60 countries worldwide will join a giant simultaneous lesson on HIV/AIDS today. Many will be meeting with their countries’ elected officials and urging them to action. Let us hope the politicians listen.