On Wednesday, 12 African countries unveiled plans to end AIDS among children by 2030 through a suite of HIV testing, treatment and prevention programmes.
The 2030 goals announced by UNAIDS last year were unanimously endorsed by delegates from 12 countries in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
“We must all do our part to end AIDS among our children,” said Tanzanian Vice President Philip Mpango at the conference. is approaching
The Dar es Salaam Declaration was announced at the first ministerial meeting of the Global Alliance to End AIDS in Children, bringing together 12 countries, UNAIDS and other health organizations.
The 12 countries are Angola, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
every 5 minutes
According to UNAIDS, one child dies from AIDS-related causes every five minutes.
Only half of the children living with HIV worldwide receive antiretroviral therapy that can stop AIDS, compared to three-quarters of adults living with HIV.
The new plan includes early testing of children, increased treatment of HIV-infected pregnant women, prevention of infection among breastfeeding women, and addressing rights and gender barriers that hinder access to services.
“A battle that can be won”
Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS, told the conference that she was “filled with hope that all of us in this room have committed” towards the 2030 goal.
“It’s a winnable battle,” she said. “This is a fight for our children.”
“Your leadership is extremely important,” World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told ministers.
“We have all the tools we need to make this happen,” he said. “But we need your commitment and action.
