Current Status + Progress
Great Progress in reducing new HIV infections among children, but not fast enough

Fast Facts:

  • About 160,000 new HIV infections occurred in 2016, dramatically declining from 320,000 in 2009.

Progress in reducing has been dramatic since the introduction in 2011 of the ‘Global Plan towards the Elimination of New HIV Infections among Children, and Keeping their Mothers Alive’ – largely because of increased access to related services and increased number of pregnant women living with HIV being initiated on lifelong antiretroviral medicines. But it has not been fast enough to reach the targets set by the Global Plan. Acceleration of treatment for all pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV is still needed to achieve elimination of new infections among children and halve HIV related deaths among pregnant women and new mothers.

More pregnant women that ever before receive treatment to stop HIV transmission to their children

Fast Facts:

  • As a result of higher testing coverage in high HIV burden countries, an increasing number of pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries are being tested for HIV during pregnancy.
  • In 2016, 76 per cent of pregnant women living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries were receiving an effective antiretroviral medicines for PMTCT, up from 47 per cent in 2010. Furthermore, 73% of pregnant women living with HIV were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART).
  • In 2016, an estimated 1.4 million pregnant women were living with HIV globally.
  • Approximately 90 per cent of these women live in sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Among UNICEF regions,
    • Eastern Europ and Central Asia (92 per cent) and Eastern and Southern Africa have the highest coverage (88 per cent) of antiretroviral medicines among pregnant women who are HIV-positive, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (75 per cent). All other regions have coverage of under 50 per cent: West and Central Africa (49 per cent), South Asia (38 per cent) and Middle East and North Africa (37 per cent), and East Asia and the Pacific (31 per cent). PMTCT data for North America and Western Europe are not available, although they are believed to be high.

Regional Variations exist in access to antiretroviral treatment for pregnant and breastfeeding women

Fast Fact:

  • Access to antiretroviral treatment for pregnant women ranges from 92 per cent in Eastern Europe and Central Asia to 31 per cent in East Asia and the Pacific.

The good news: New HIV infections in children are declining rapidly

Percentage of pregnant women living with HIV receiving most effective antiretroviral medicines for PMTCT, by UNICEF Region, 2000-2016

Note: Data for North America and Western Europe are not included

Source: UNAIDS 2017 estimates, July 2017

Expanding HIV testing and counselling among pregnant women is critical for identifying those in need of follow-up care and increasing coverage of subsequent interventions.

As per current guidance from WHO, transmission of the virus from mother to child can be significantly reduced if lifelong antiretroviral treatment is administered according to the WHO guidelines. About 90 per cent of HIV infections in infants and children are passed on from their mothers during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding.

Without any intervention, between 15 per cent and 45 per cent of babies born to HIV-positive mothers are likely to become infected. And half of all infants infected with HIV are likely to die before their second birthday if they do not receive treatment.

Reducing HIV transmission from mother to child requires a range of interventions, beginning with voluntary and confidential counselling and testing for the virus. This should be followed by lifelong antiretroviral treatment for pregnant women with HIV and the administration of antiretroviral drugs to their newborns as a preventive measure, as well as safe delivery practices and retention of the mother and infant into long-term care and treatment.

The critical strategies through which elimination of new infections among children and keeping mothers alive can be achieved include: knowledge of HIV status, initiation and retention on antiretroviral treatment with attainment of viral suppression.

Children lag behind adults in access to HIV testing and treatment

Fast Facts:

  • In 2015, an estimated 45 per cent of the estimated 1.4 million infants born to mothers living with HIV in all low- and middle income countries received cotrimoxazole.
  • In 2015, coverage of antiretroviral prophylaxis among HIV-exposed infants was only 54 per cent in all low- and middle-income countries, which was significantly lower than the 77 per cent of mothers receiving prophylactic antiretrovirals.

World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines recommend that all infants born to HIV-positive mothers should receive antiretroviral drugs preventively. Data show that the use of services related to the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV is expanding. Poor service delivery in the post-partum period with significant low rates of maternal retention, populations living in hard-to-reach areas, aggravated by weak health systems, and the fear, stigma and denial that continue to discourage women from being tested for HIV are significant barriers to wider uptake of services.

For information on UNICEF’s programme and policy work on HIV and AIDS, click here

 

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Recent Resources
Publication

For Every Child, End AIDS: Seventh Stocktaking Report, 2016

HIV/AIDS
Nov 30, 2016

Children are still dying of AIDS-related causes.  Children living with HIV (aged 0–4) face the highest risk of AIDS-related death compared to all other age groups. The AIDS-response must focus on solutions for this extremely vulnerable population. Preventing new infections, but also testing and starting treatment early are the best ways to end AIDS among the youngest children. In an age when the tools and knowledge are at hand to prevent and treat HIV in children, new infections and deaths among this age group reflect a collective failure to prioritise children.

Download executive summary | Download report
Brochure

Children & AIDS: 2015 Statistical Update

HIV/AIDS
Nov 27, 2015

At the turn of the century, and the beginning of the Millennium Development Goals, an HIV diagnosis was equivalent to a death sentence for most children and their families in low-income countries. But now, an early diagnosis paired with treatment and care can ensure long healthy lives, regardless of location, and can help prevent transmission of HIV to others. Since 2000, 30 million new infections were prevented, nearly 8 million deaths averted, and 15 million people living with HIV are now receiving treatment.

Download executive summary
Brochure

Towards a Post 2015 Development Agenda

Water and Sanitation
Jan 1, 2014
Download brochure (PDF) | (Sp)
Data Sources + Methodology

GLOBAL AIDS RESPONSE PROGRESS REPORTING/UNIVERSAL ACCESS

In an effort to harmonize data collection and minimize the reporting burden on countries, UNAIDS, WHO and UNICEF have developed a joint reporting tool. The tool, which has been translated into several UN languages, combines the Global AIDS Response Progress Reporting and Universal Access reporting on the health sector response to HIV/AIDS. Countries that have not yet begun using the tool are advised to download the latest version. Accompanying guidelines support countries in using the tool and provide detailed descriptions of the indicators used.

  • For more information, click here
  • For Global AIDS Monitoring reporting guidelines, click here
  • To view the latest version of the reporting tool, click here
  • To view a list of indicators, click here

SPECTRUM/EPP ESTIMATE MODELLING

UNAIDS, WHO and UNICEF are using Avenir Health’s modelling software, Spectrum/EPP, to generate estimates, which support policy decisions concerning public health. Spectrum includes modules for HIV estimates and projectors.

  • For more information, click here
  • For estimates methodology, click here

NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE SURVEYS

Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), AIDS Indicator Surveys (AIS), reproductive health surveys, sexual behaviour surveys and other nationally representative surveys are currently used to collect data on HIV and AIDS.