HIV and AIDS and Its impact on child well-being

Abstract

HIV and AIDS remains a significant public health problem. Globally, an estimated 34 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2011 (UNAIDS 2012). Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains the most severely affected region, accounting for 69 % of the people living with HIV worldwide, with nearly 1 in every 20 adults (4.9 %) infected (UNAIDS 2012). HIV incidence also remains unacceptably high: an estimated 2.5 million people (adults and children) acquired HIV infection in 2011 (UNAIDS 2012). Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 71 % of the adults and children newly infected in 2011 (UNAIDS 2012). Further, an estimated 1.7 million people died from AIDS-related causes worldwide in 2011, with SSA accounting for 70 % of all the people dying from AIDS (UNAIDS 2012).