HIV/AIDS

A UNICEF report has revealed a grim reality: every day in 2024, an estimated 712 children—approximately one every two minutes—were newly infected with HIV worldwide. Distressingly, about 250 children die daily from AIDS-related causes.

Key Findings from the UNICEF Report

• 40.8 million people were living with HIV in 2024, including 2.42 million children and adolescents aged 0–19. childrenandaids.org+3Punch+3UNICEF DATA+3
• Roughly 120,000 children aged 0–14 were newly infected in 2024; nearly 86% live in sub-Saharan Africa. UNICEF DATA+2Punch+2World Health Organization+2
• 13.8 million children had lost one or both parents to AIDS-related causes. UNICEF+8Punch+8UNICEF DATA+8
• An estimated 250 deaths per day among children were due to AIDS, with 73% occurring in those under 10.

A positive note: new child infections dropped nearly 62% since 2010, thanks to efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission. However, adolescent infections declined by only 44%, signaling urgent work remains.

Regional Disparities and Transmission Trends

• Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 65% of all people living with HIV and 86% of children/adolescents with HIV globally. childrenandaids.org+12Punch+12UNAIDS+12
• In Southern Africa, age-disparate sexual relationships—particularly between young women and older men—continue to drive high transmission rates.

What This Means & Urgency Ahead

The report warns that without sustained funding and targeted interventions, child and adolescent HIV infections—or related deaths—could rise again, reversing past gains.

Key recommendations include:

• Eliminate vertical transmission of HIV in infants and mothers
• Expand and optimize pediatric treatment regimens
• Increase prevention efforts among adolescent girls and young women