More needs to be done to combat HIV, says UNICEF

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) released a report on Thursday in Johannesburg showing that progress has been made globally in fighting HIV but more still needs to be done.

According to the report, 1.6 million new infections globally among children were averted between the years 2000 and 2015 by reducing mother to child transmission.

The report also noted that progress has been made in the fight against HIV despite reduction in funding for the AIDS response which has declined since 2014.

In 2015, about 2 million adolescents aged 10 -19 were living with HIV in the whole world. In sub-Saharan Africa, three in four infections in 15-19 years old are girls.

Jeffrey O'Malley, Director of Data and Policy of UNICEF said a package which addresses tuberculosis, HIV and other disease should be adopted to fight the pandemic.

"We need political will to fight the social economic issues because they are also drivers of the HIV. We also need a mix of HIV package with health care system which also caters for tuberculosis and other diseases," he said.

"Urgent action is needed to improve HIV prevention and treatment for young people. New HIV infections among adolescents are projected to rise by nearly 60 percent by 2030 if progress stalls," he added.

UNICEF also called for an end to gender discrimination including gender-based violence and countering stigma. The report indicated that if strong measures are not adopted, new HIV infection among the adolescence will rise from 250,000 in 2015 to about 400,000 annually.

According to the UNICEF report, 1.1 million children, adolescents and women were newly infected in 2015. The report also said children aged four are at greater risk of death because they are diagnosed and treated late. Endit