A sobering new report from UNICEF and UNAIDS has revealed that in 2024, approximately 200 children died every day from AIDS-related causes, totaling 75,000 child deaths globally. The findings highlight the urgent need for enhanced access to treatment and prevention services for children and adolescents living with HIV.
According to the report, an estimated 1.4 million children aged 0–14 are living with HIV, while 120,000 children were newly infected in 2024. The report warns that the majority of these children are in sub-Saharan Africa, which continues to bear the heaviest burden of pediatric HIV infections and deaths.
UNICEF’s Executive Director emphasized, “We are at a critical point where gaps in treatment and prevention services are putting children’s lives at risk. Immediate action is needed to ensure every child has access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy.”
Despite progress in HIV prevention and treatment globally, children are significantly less likely than adults to receive antiretroviral therapy (ART). This treatment gap remains the leading cause of preventable AIDS-related deaths among children.
UNAIDS noted: “Every day, 200 children lose their lives to AIDS. These are preventable deaths. We must act now to close the pediatric HIV treatment gap.”
The report further highlights that funding cuts and service disruptions in several countries have slowed the pace of progress, placing children and adolescents at heightened risk. Experts warn that without sustained international support, the gains achieved over the past decade could be reversed.
UNICEF and UNAIDS are calling for immediate scale-up of:
- Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) to reduce newborn infections.
- Expanded pediatric HIV treatment and care, including timely ART initiation and follow-up monitoring.
- Increased funding and resources for HIV programs targeting children and adolescents.
- Community-based testing and awareness campaigns to reach undiagnosed children.
Dr. John Nkengasong, Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, stressed:
“The death of 200 children every day is a global tragedy. Governments, donors, and communities must prioritize children in HIV programming.”
The daily toll of 200 child deaths from AIDS underscores that the fight against HIV is far from over, especially for children in low-resource settings. Without urgent action, millions more children could face infection or death from preventable causes.
Nigeria, along with other heavily affected countries, is urged to strengthen HIV testing for children, expand ART coverage, and integrate pediatric HIV care into maternal and child health services.
The 2024 UNICEF/UNAIDS report sends a clear warning: children remain disproportionately vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, and preventable deaths continue at an alarming rate. Global health leaders, governments, and communities must act decisively to ensure equitable access to treatment, strengthen prevention programs, and safeguard the lives of the world’s most vulnerable children.
