Opinion: Transforming the future for children living with HIV

Children are only a small piece of the HIV narrative, yet approximately every 100 seconds, a child or young person under the age of 20 is newly infected with the virus. This is a stark reminder that the HIV epidemic has not gone away.

2021 marks the 40th year since the first published case reports of AIDS in adults. And although we have really come a long way from those early and dark days, last year approximately 160,000 children around the world were newly diagnosed with HIV, bringing the total number of children ages 14 and below who are living with HIV to 1.7 million. This is most sharply felt in eastern and southern Africa, where the burden of HIV is greatest.

It is a sobering thought that despite the incredible advances we have made in the past 40 years, so many remain affected by HIV and, to this day, half of children living with untreated HIV die before their second birthdays.

With statistics like these, it’s easy to understand the importance of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

At ViiV Healthcare, we believe that we have a responsibility to ensure lifesaving medicines are developed and accessible for children living with HIV. In fact, our whole reason for existing is to ensure that no person living with HIV is left behind.

Addressing HIV in an often ‘invisible’ population

So why does reducing the number of children and adolescents living with HIV seem such a challenge? An obvious starting point is that there are still only a few age-appropriate formulations of HIV treatments. It remains vital that we address the gaps in pediatric HIV treatment and continue to work on developing innovative, age-appropriate formulations to ensure that medication can be taken regularly and effectively.

However, developing treatment is only half the battle when it comes to ensuring children have access to it. We believe that partnerships are fundamental to unlocking the access challenge and making sure that those who need treatment can obtain it.

For example, we have voluntary license agreements in place with the Medicines Patent Pool. We also work with generic manufacturers, in partnership with organizations such as the Clinton Health Access Initiative and Unitaid, to share expertise and technology. These partnerships enable medicine to be manufactured and delivered at scale to those who need it most. Working together is essential if we are going to reach our goal.

But it doesn’t end there.

Children and young people cannot always make their voices heard in advocating for their medical needs or accessing health care services. This lack of access can be compounded by stigma and fear of disclosure to classmates, teachers, or even family members.

As well as supporting access to medicines for children living with HIV, collaboration between industry and community-based organizations is vital in the HIV response. Through our Positive Action programs and partnerships, we work directly with communities to challenge stigma and discrimination and support community-led programs that work in harmony with health systems focused on building access to care services for those who need them.

Communities’ contributions should motivate us to support those who need our support and get us closer to meeting global health targets.

Progress continues toward our goal of delivering for an AIDS-free generation, but we must keep going.

There is little doubt that COVID-19 has negatively impacted HIV health care services and testing, so it is imperative to recognize that now is the time to accelerate our response to transform the lives of people living with HIV and ensure that no one is left behind. Together, we must strive to:

1. Put pediatric HIV/AIDS back on the agenda. We need sustainable HIV investment driven by committed industry and political leadership that enables a country- and community-led response and is responsible and accountable.

2. Harness the power of partnerships. It is vital that we accelerate the building of alliances to research and deliver innovative antiretroviral therapies suitable for children.

3. Prioritize the health and well-being of children living with HIV. We have a collective responsibility to protect pediatric populations living with HIV by improving access to and the availability of testing, treatment, and care options, including improvements in support for both physical and mental health.

Our purpose has always been driven by those who need us most. And as a global community, we will continue to break down the remaining barriers in HIV care until we reach our goal of ending the epidemic — for good.