Stop Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV
Every day, approximately 1,200 children are infected with HIV across the globe -- the vast majority through mother-to-child transmission. And without treatment, the majority of these children will die before their second birthdays.
Medicines exist to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, yet only 45 percent of HIV-positive pregnant women worldwide have access to them. If any changes are to occur, global leaders must do more to ensure that women and children receive the lifesaving HIV prevention, care, and treatment services they so desperately need.
Send a message to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the host of the 2010 G8 annual summit, and ask him to make global HIV/AIDS a priority on the G8 agenda and increase investment in global HIV/AIDS programs, including programs that provide prevention of mother-to-child transmission and pediatric treatment services.
Dear Prime Minister Stephen Harper,
Now is a critical time for leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Women and children around the world rely on lifesaving HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment services to improve their health. But their future is uncertain. As the host of the 2010 G8 annual summit, I urge you to make global HIV/AIDS a priority on the G8 agenda and increase investment in global HIV/AIDS programs by taking the following three steps to combat HIV/AIDS:
1.
Scale-up prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV programs
While medicines exist to prevent mother-to-children transmission of HIV, only 45 percent of HIV-positive pregnant women worldwide have access to them. Aggressive scale-up of PMTCT services is needed to ensure that more infants are not born HIV-positive.
2.
Improve pediatric HIV testing and early diagnosis of HIV in infants
Only 15 percent of HIV-exposed infants are tested for HIV in the first two months of life. Early diagnosis and detection of HIV is the best hope for children to receive the medical treatment they need to fight HIV/AIDS.
3.
Increase the number of HIV-positive children on medical treatment
Although pediatric HIV/AIDS is treatable, an overwhelming majority of children who need lifesaving medical treatment never receive it. Unfortunately, without treatment, half of all HIV-positive children will die before their second birthday.
If swift action isnt taken soon, the consequences will continue to be tragic. Millions more women, children, and families could suffer needlessly from HIV/AIDS. Your leadership and commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS worldwide is critical to stopping its spread. Please make women, children, and families living with HIV/AIDS a priority and increase investment in global HIV/AIDS programs.
