Govt says about 72k children live with HIV

Zim Now Writer

Health and Child Care ministry national prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV and paediatric HIV care and treatment co-ordinator Angela Mushavi has said at least 72 088 children below the age of 19 are living with HIV in the country.

She said 52 390 of these children are on anti-retroviral treatment, meaning that 73 percent children are undergoing treatment.

“A lot of interventions and progress has been made as the country intensifies efforts to end Aids by 2025. At the moment, 73 percent of children living with HIV are on anti-retroviral treatment, while annually there are 5 000 new infections in children,” Mushavi said.

She said that a lot has been achieved before the 2025 deadline since the country has improved in HIV-related issues, hence achievement of the 95-95-95 goals.

The Global Alliance to End Aids in Children last week said influential people from Africa have shown that they are devoted to ending Aids in children by 2030.

The report quoted the World Health Organisation, saying half (52 percent) of children living with HIV/Aids globally are on life-saving treatment compared to 76 percent adults (three quarters) that are already receiving anti-retroviral treatment.

“Currently, around the world, a child dies from Aids-related causes every five minutes. In 2021, a total 160 000 children newly-acquired HIV. Children accounted for 15 percent of all Aids-related deaths, despite the fact that only 4 percent of the total number of people living with HIV are children,” the report said.

Statistics given by the Ministry Health and Child Care in 2016 state that 56,2 percent children living with HIV knew their statuses.

It said the percentage increased in 2021 to 72,5 percent children who know their HIV statuses.