240,000 Children Worldwide Infected with HIV Annually, UNICEF Reports

Globally, an estimated 2.27 million children and adolescents under 19 were living with HIV in 2025, according to UNICEF. The report highlights that approximately 240,000 new infections and 74,000 AIDS-related deaths occurred within this age group during the year. The situation is particularly dire for children under 15, with 1.26 million living with HIV, experiencing 93,000 new infections and 61,000 deaths. This translates to a daily toll of about 255 children infected and 167 dying from AIDS-related illnesses.

Experts point to substantial disparities in identifying infections and providing treatment. Only 65% of children under 14 with HIV are aware of their diagnosis, a stark contrast to the 89% rate among adults. Furthermore, a mere 55% of children living with HIV receive antiretroviral therapy, compared to 79% of adults. This gap in care significantly hinders efforts to manage the epidemic among the youngest populations.

UNICEF emphasizes the need for several key actions in the coming years. These include preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV and accelerating progress toward the complete elimination of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B. Crucially, the organization calls for narrowing the treatment access gap for children and adolescents through earlier diagnosis, improved pediatric therapies, and ensuring continuity of care. UNICEF also stresses the importance of preventing new HIV infections among adolescents, particularly girls, and expanding equal access to effective prevention programs and sexual and reproductive health services.

In the face of dwindling financial resources, experts underscore the critical need to utilize high-quality, timely data to identify emerging problems and direct funds where they can have the greatest impact. The report also references a specific situation in Kyrgyzstan, where around 880 cases of HIV were registered among individuals under 18, with a significant portion attributed to medical services and vertical transmission from mother to child.