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World Vision, a Christian relief and development organization with HIV andAIDS programs in more than 60 countries, says participants in the XVIIInternational AIDS Conference (IAC) in Mexico City should put children at thefocus of their discussions. Fifteen million children have been orphaned by thepandemic, and thousands are infected each week while treatment and care lagthat of adults.
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"This is a top forum for hearing important new scientific research and forproductive, structured dialogue on the major challenges facing the globalresponse to AIDS," said Martha Newsome, director of World Vision's HIV andAIDS Hope Initiative. "However, as is often the case with global conferenceslike this one, the needs of children are too low on the agenda.
"Almost 1,200 children a day under the age of 15 are newly infected withHIV - around 90 percent of those from mother-to-child transmission, which ispreventable. Organizers expect 22,000 people to attend this conference, fromfield workers to government ministers. Imagine if each of those made reducingmother-to-child transmission of HIV their personal goal?
"As a global community we should be ashamed that 9 out of every 10 HIVpositive children get the virus from their mothers during pregnancy,childbirth or breastfeeding, a particular tragedy because mother-childtransmission can be safely stopped. Prevention services can reducetransmission risk to less than 2%, but only about 1 in 10 HIV-positivepregnant women who need ARVs get them. There's no acceptable reason to not putan end to mother-to-child transmission."
ARVs, or anti-retroviral drugs, are the medications needed by HIV-positivepeople to delay the onset of AIDS and significantly prolong life.
Specifically, World Vision is calling for health and government leaders to:
The IAC's slogan this year is "Universal Access Now," emphasizing the needfor continued urgency in the worldwide response to HIV/AIDS, and for action onthe part of all stakeholders.
"Without addressing the needs of children impacted by HIV and AIDS, and ofthose infected by mother-child transmission specifically, the IAC will sadlyprove to be just another expensive talking shop to the millions who needaction now," Newsome said.
Notes to editors
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to workingwith children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their fullpotential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. We serve allpeople, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For moreinformation, please visit www.worldvision.org.
World Vision's AIDS programmes are in 60+ nations, many in sub-SaharanAfrica, where more than 90% of the world's HIV-infected children live.Partnering with local communities and faith leaders, it works to educate aboutthe disease, to eradicate stigma, encourage voluntary testing, train thousandsof home visitors and provide care and assistance to thousands of chronicallyill men, women and children.-- Prevent mother-to-child transmission by fully scaling up programs and being accountable for meeting goals -- Ensure pediatric treatment and infant testing -- Earmark 12% of AIDS funding for children affected by HIV and AIDS
SOURCE World Vision U.S.
