Pediatric HIV in Western Algeria

Every day around the world nearly 1000 children under the age of 15 contract HIV in 2012 UNAIDS estimated that 3.3 million children were living with HIV nearly 90% of them in Africa. The vast majority of these children are infected before birth during pregnancy at the time of delivery or while being breastfed (if their mother is HIV positive). The spread of HIV/AIDS is particularly rapid among children. Without care and treatment the virus multiplies and destroys the child's immune system lowering the child's resistance to infections including pneumonia and other common childhood diseases. Nearly half of all children who are infected by their mothers die before their second birthday. Strengthening the screening system to prevent mother-to-child transmission would reduce the risk of transmission and improve the prognosis of life.