The United Nations Children’s Fund says urgent action is needed to provide timely medical treatment for children infected with HIV. In a report on HIV infection in children released yesterday on the eve of World AIDS Day, UNICEF said about 120,000 children aged 14 or younger died of AIDS-related causes last year. There were also 160,000 new cases of infections in children. The report also says only 43 percent of children infected with HIV received anti-retroviral therapy, which is effective in delaying the development of symptoms. It also points out that the mortality rate in children with HIV is very high without timely treatment. The UN agency is calling for a series of support actions, such as introducing quick HIV testing, as well as investment in drug development.
