Kenya is among 12 Global Alliance Countries that have achieved strong coverage of lifelong anti antiretroviral therapy among pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV.
The Country stands at 89 percent and at par with Angola in terms of coverage ahead of Zimbabwe which is at 88 percent and Cote d’Ivoire at 84 percent.
Uganda is leading nearing 100 percent, Tanzania is at 98 percent, South Africa at 97 percent while Mozambique and Zambia are at 90 percent coverage.
Despite the significant gains in these countries, critical gaps continue to undermine efforts to end AIDS in children
A new report released by the Global Alliance for Ending AIDS in Children by 2030 shows that an urgent scale up of HIV services in countries worst affected by the pandemic is required to end AIDS by 2030.
The report, Transforming Vision into Reality, shows that programmes targeting vertical transmission of HIV have however averted 4 million infections among children aged 0-14 years old since 2000 but countries are still not on track to reach HIV related commitments for children and adolescents.
The Global Alliance countries are innovating to overcome barriers and accelerate progress towards ending AIDS in children but the pace of progress in preventing new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths among children has slowed in recent years.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO says that accelerating the delivery and uptake of HIV services for children and adolescents is a moral obligation, and a political choice.
“Twelve countries are demonstrating they have made that choice, but significant challenges remain and while we have made progress in increasing access for pregnant women to testing and treatment to prevent vertical transmission of HIV, we are still far from closing the paediatric treatment gap”, he added .
Dr. Tedros emphasized the need to further strengthen the collaboration and reach of the Global Alliance, by doing the work with focus, purpose and in solidarity with all affected mothers, children, and adolescents.
UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima said “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.
She noted that with the medicines and science available today, countries can ensure that all babies are born and remain HIV-free, and that all children who are living with HIV get on and stay on treatment.
“Services for treatment and prevention must be ramped up immediately to ensure that they reach all children everywhere. We cannot rest on our laurels. The death of any child from AIDS related causes is not only a tragedy, but also an outrage. The world can and must keep its promise to end AIDS in children by 2030,” Byanyima said.
Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which provides funding for HIV programmes in over 100 countries through a country-led partnership model said that in the fight against HIV, we must do a much better job for children.
He added that in support of national programmes, they have been procuring paediatric treatment regimens at negotiated prices, investing in laboratory systems which is helping ensure exposed infants are rapidly tested and that those that test positive are quickly initiated on age-appropriate antiretroviral treatment.
“It is concerning that the treatment gap between adults and children continues to widen. Just 57 per cent of children living with HIV receive life-saving treatment, compared to 77 per cent of adults,” said UNICEF Associate Director HIV/AIDS, Anurita Bains.
Bains added that without early and effective testing and treatment, HIV remains a persistent threat to the health and well-being of children and adolescents and puts them at risk of death and therefore to close the treatment gap governments must be supported to scale up.
Around 120 000 children aged 0-14 years old became infected with HIV in 2023, with around 77 000 of these new infections occurring in the Global Alliance countries.
In 2023, there were 210 000 new infections globally among young women and girls aged 15—24 years old (130 000 in Global Alliance countries), four times higher than the 2025 goal set at 50 000.
WHO says that preventing new infections among this age group is critical both to protect the health and wellbeing of young women and to reduce the risk of new infections among children.
Ambassador John N. Nkengasong, United States Global AIDS Coordinator and Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy said, “It has been remarkable to see how many more children’s lives can be saved when all stakeholders and partners come together to commit to end AIDS in children,”.
While much progress has been made, notably through the successful introduction of paediatric regimens, Amb. Nkengasong added that large gaps still remain across the paediatric cascade and all must recommit with purpose and innovation to fulfill the promises made by 2025 and beyond.
The Global Alliance for Ending AIDS in Children by 2030 was launched in 2022 by WHO, UNICEF and UNAIDS to reinvigorate the paediatric HIV agenda.
Twelve Member countries are Kenya, Angola, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The alliance has now grown, and in addition to the United Nations agencies and includes civil society movements, including the Global Network of People living with HIV, national governments in the most affected countries, and international partners, including PEPFAR and the Global Fund.
Statistics in Kenya show that the number of children living with HIV in Kenya fell from 180,000 in 2010 to 111,500 in 2020, partly due to improved access to services, including for more pregnant women. However, infection rates among young people (15-24) remains a concern.
By Wangari Ndirangu
