Girls Twice More Likely To Contract HIV Than Boys: Says UNICEF Report

girls twice more likely to contract hiv than boys: says unicef report

A recent report released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reveals that girls are more than twice as likely to contract HIV than their male counterparts. According to UNICEF, in 2022, nearly, 98,000 adolescent girls were infected with HIV or 1,900 new infections every week.

According to a report in The Washington Post, the data was part of an annual snapshot on children and HIV/AIDS, suggests that gender inequality, limited access to health care and a dearth of educational programs put girls at particular risk for HIV worldwide. Although the analysis found “tremendous gains” in HIV prevention and treatment, it notes that 71 percent of new infections among adolescents ages 10 to 19 are among girls.

Anurita Bains, UNICEF associate director of HIV/AIDS said, “It is unacceptable that adolescent girls, who should be planning their futures, continue to bear the heaviest burden of HIV infection. We — the UN, communities, governments and organisations — must eradicate the obstacles that make HIV a threat to their health and well-being. This includes ensuring the sexual and reproductive health and rights of adolescent girls and young women are met.”

According to the new report, there were 2, 70,000 new HIV infections among all children and adolescents between the age of 0 and 19 in 2022 globally. This brings the total number of young people living with HIV to 2.6 million.

The latest data shows that Eastern and Southern Africa continues to carry the overwhelming burden of HIV infection among the 0-19 age group, followed by West and Central Africa; East Asia and the Pacific; Latin America and the Caribbean and South Asia.

In sub-Saharan Africa, HIV prevalence among adolescent girls and young women, aged 10-24 years, is persistently over three times higher than among their male counterparts.

Progress toward ending AIDS remains slow, with 99,000 children and adolescents aged 0-19 years dying globally due to AIDS-related causes in 2022, accounting for 15 per cent of all AIDS-related deaths, even though this age group comprises just 7 per cent of people living with HIV, the report noted.

The Washington Post also notes that overall, the report indicates that nearly 1 million children and teens with HIV go untreated, and antiretroviral treatment lags worldwide due to testing requirements and a lack of age-appropriate medication.

What is HIV?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. If HIV is not treated, it can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). There is currently no effective cure. Once people get HIV, they have it for life.”

Mayo Clinic says, “Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). By damaging your immune system, HIV interferes with your body’s ability to fight infection and disease.

“HIV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It can also be spread by contact with infected blood and from illicit injection drug use or sharing needles. It can also be spread from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. Without medication, it may take years before HIV weakens your immune system to the point that you have AIDS.”

(With inputs from IANS)