Adolescents Are Dying Of Aids At Alarming Rates-UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF says a recent study has revealed adolescents are dying of aids at alarming rates despite the fact that Prevent Mother-To-Child Transmission programmes have prevented some 1.6 million new HIV infections in children, globally, while the provision of anti-retroviral treatment has saved 8.8 million lives (people of all ages) since 2000.

In a release issued on the side lines of the 21^stInternational AIDS Conference taking place in Durban, South Africa, UNICEF says the numbers of AIDS-related deaths among adolescents 15-19 years have more than doubled since 2000.

Last year, there were on average, 29 new infections an hour among those in this age group worldwide, according to the release. While rates of new infections among adolescents have levelled off, UNICEF is concerned that projected increases in their population in the coming years will mean an increase in the overall number of infections.

Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director says after all of the saved and improved lives thanks to prevention, treatment and care; after all of the battles won against prejudice and ignorance about this disease; after all of the wonderful milestones achieved, AIDS is still the number two cause of death for those aged 10-19 globally – and number one in Africa.

 Vulnerability among girls remains high

About 65 percent of new adolescent infections worldwide are made up of young girls. Sub-Saharan Africa, where Cameroon is found, harbours about 70 per cent of people in the world living with HIV, and 3 out of every 4 adolescents newly infected by HIV in 2015 were girls, UNICEF says.

Stigmatisation persists

In spite of numerous campaigns organised by governments and non-governmental organisations in a bid to eradicate stigmatisation of people living with aids, a recent poll conducted by UNICEF through its mobile-based reporting tool, U-report, shows the efforts are apparently far from paying off.

Some 68 per cent of 52,000 young people surveyed in 16 countries said they did not want to be tested, both because they were afraid of an HIV-positive result, and because they were worried about social stigma.

This fear of stigma prevents many youths from testing for HIV, thus they remain unaware of their status. UNCEF says among adolescents, only 13 per cent of girls and 9 per cent of boys were tested within the last year.

A Wakeup Call

New infections among children due to transmission at birth or during breastfeeding have decreased dramatically since 2000, dropping by 70 per cent in the period.

But UNICEF is calling on governments and funders to step up efforts to eliminate the transmission of the virus from mother to child. Its executive director says there is an urgent need for innovation and renewed political will to reach the children still being left behind.

      In this direction UNICEF showcased at the on-going International AIDS Conference, potentials of mobile applications such as ‘Mom Connect’, successfully used in South Africa to link pregnant women and mothers to health care, to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV and to improve the health of mothers and children living with HIV.