What needs to be done?

What needs to be done?

It is clear that much more needs to be done, especially in resource-poor countries. Many children are dying, whilst millions more are experiencing the scars that AIDS can leave on their lives ­– almost all of which are avoidable. Medical treatment is such that, in a developed country, a woman living with HIV can now be almost certain that her child will not be infected - and yet there are still delays in making the appropriate tests and drugs available around the world.

If infected with HIV, children can be effectively treated, and, given this treatment, can have longer, healthier lives ­– yet they continue to die, because the antiretroviral drugs are still not widely available in many countries. Developing countries need not only the drugs to treat children, but also specialist training for staff, and funding to enable treatment and ongoing care. The world's political leaders and decision-makers already have these tools to save children from needless suffering, but they are still not reaching most of those who need them.