HIV/AIDS and Children

The World Health Organisation (WHO) advocacy and communication for World AIDS Day 2018 aims to urge people to know their HIV infection status through testing, and to access HIV prevention, treatment and care services, it further aims to urge policy-makers to promote a “health for all” agenda for HIV and related health services. An estimated 3.2 million children were living with HIV at the end of 2013, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. Majority of them acquire HIV from their HIV-infected mothers during pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding. With efficacious interventions the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission can be reduced to 2%. However, such interventions are still not widely accessible or available in most resource-limited countries where the burden of HIV is highest. And these children who are already infected with HIV need to be enrolled in effective treatment to stay healthy.
To help us unpack the discussion we are joined by:
• Dr Karl Technau, is a doctor at the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital – specialises in mother to child transmission.
• Jessica Burry is an HIV Pharmacist at MSF’s Access Campaign/ Doctors without Borders.