The United Nation's Children's Fund (UNICEF) is warning that progress in HIV prevention and treatment has nearly flatlined over the last three years, with many regions still not at pre-pandemic service coverage.
The warning comes ahead of the observance of World AIDS Day on Thursday.
According to UNICEF, an estimated 110,000 young people under age 19 died last year from AIDS-related causes. It says coupled with 310,000 newly infected, the total number of young people living with HIV stands at 2.7 million.
UNICEF Associate Chief of HIV/AIDS, Anurita Bains says though children have long lagged behind adults in the AIDS response, the stagnation seen in the last three years is unprecedented.
UNICEF warns that unless the drivers of inequities are addressed, ending AIDS in children and adolescents will continue to be what it calls "a distant dream".
