6/16/2008

Contact: Beatrice Karanja
bkaranja@pedaids.org

Contact: Johanna Diaz
202-371-1999
jdiaz@pedaids.org

Washington, D.C.—As countries across Africa celebrate the “Day of the African Child” today, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is calling on policymakers, donors, nongovernmental organizations, and nations to significantly scale up essential health services for mothers during pregnancy and childbirth, and for newborns and infants, with a focus on preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Throughout Africa, more than half of all maternal and newborn deaths occur during childbirth and the first few days of a baby’s life; most of these deaths could be avoided with better health care.

Concerned that Africa’s newborns constitute the forgotten children of the continent, the Foundation is urging governments to put children at or near the top of their health care agendas. “This is a day when governments, organizations, families, and communities can reflect on the threats that compromise the health and well-being of children,” said Pamela W. Barnes, President and CEO of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. “HIV/AIDS is a grave threat to children. We know how to stop mother-to-child transmission of this disease, but we aren’t reaching nearly all those who need our help. As a result, some 1,100 children are born HIV-positive in the world each day, most of them in Africa. Too many of those children die at a very young age, and those who live need extensive medical care throughout their lives. We can and must do better.”

Today, just 34 percent of HIV-positive pregnant women are receiving medicines to prevent transmission of HIV to their babies. That is significant progress from just a few years ago, Barnes noted, but there is more work to do.

For the “Day of the African Child,” the Foundation is urging the world’s health organizations, governments, and communities to place HIV prevention high on their agendas and to reaffirm their commitments to improve the health of all children.

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About the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is a worldwide leader in the fight against pediatric AIDS. Its innovative research programs, collaborative training initiatives, advocacy efforts, and rapidly expanding international prevention and treatment programs are bringing dramatic changes to the lives of children worldwide.