COVID-19 and HIV among children and adolescents: Current inequalities.

ABSTRACT

The HIV epidemic enters its fifth decade amid a global pandemic. The increasing poverty, mental health problems, and abuse are raising the risk of infection for children, adolescents, and women. The inequalities driving the HIV epidemic, which are now exacerbated by COVID-19, demonstrate the social and clinical inequalities of more children infected with HIV and more children losing their fight against AIDS. In this context, current evidence highlights that, alarmingly, two out of five children living with HIV worldwide are unaware of their status, and just over half of children with HIV are receiving antiretroviral treatment. Discrimination and gender inequalities permeate significant situations in HIV services due to COVID-19 in early 2020 and throughout 2021. It was observed in recent studies substantial reductions in births in health facilities, maternal HIV testing, and initiation of antiretroviral treatment for HIV. An AIDS-free generation should be possible, but we are not there yet. HIV remains a burden.