Abstract : The HIV/AIDS epidemic among children in sub-Saharan Africa has been fueled by the large number of infected women in the childbearing age group, child sexual abuse, the near-universal practice of breast feeding, and frequent use of blood transfusions for child health problems such as anemia. Methods under investigation to reduce mother-to-child transmission include vaginal disinfection with virucide before delivery, vitamin A supplementation, and antiviral drugs. Most HIV-infected children become ill during their first year of life, but symptoms may resemble those of other childhood diseases. Moreover, a positive HIV antibody test is reliable only after 18 months of age. Estimated AIDS-related increases in child mortality range from 3% to 26% in African countries. Parental HIV infection compromises family income, the quality of child care, and the likelihood of preventive medical care; it further creates AIDS orphans and street children. Districts in sub-Saharan Africa are addressing the staggering increases in AIDS orphans through orphanages, direct support for basic needs and school fees, and feeding posts and child care centers. In Zimbabwe, where 18% of households include orphans and 13% of children have been orphaned, the majority of children receive adequate care within extended families or through adaptations of community coping methods. Support for such existing mechanisms may be the best approach to orphan care in sub-Saharan Africa. However, special programs may need to be designed for poorer children and households in urban and peri-urban areas.
Notes : English
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