Originally published June 23 2005
U.N. children's fund: One million Mozambique children infected or affected by AIDS
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The United Nations children's fund told IOL that more than one million children in Mozambique are infected with AIDS, or are caring for someone who is, and it's getting worse as the country has, on average, about 500 new cases every day, 90 of them through mother-to-child transmission.
Johannesburg - Aids is devastating Mozambique and leaving more and more children infected or affected, the United Nations children's fund said on Tuesday.
"More than one million children and young people under the age of 18 are either living with the virus themselves, are caring for parents or other close family members suffering from Aids-related diseases, or have already lost one or both parents to the pandemic," said Unicef's Leila Pakkala on the eve of the celebrations of the Day of the African Child on June 16.
According to the statement by the United Nations body, received in Johannesburg, Mozambique has become one of the countries most affected by the pandemic.
According to estimates of the National Statistics Institute (INE), the prevalence rate among 15 to 49 years old now stands at 15.6 percent compared to 8.2 percent in 1998.
On average, about 500 new infections occur every day, 90 of them among young children through mother-to-child transmission.
Aids is emerging as an important underlying cause of illness and death among children in Mozambique.
There are very few children living with HIV/Aids who survive until they are 10 years old.
The prevalence rate rises dramatically among adolescents who have started sexual relationships, since this is the main mode of transmission in Mozambique.
Almost 130 000 young people aged 15 to 19 are estimated to be living with HIV or Aids.
Girls are particularly vulnerable - almost 100 000 of those living with HIV/Aids in this age group are girls.
Among adults, it is estimated that Aids accounts for almost 25 percent of all deaths recorded.
This has led to an orphan crisis of alarming dimensions.
There is no official information on children living with parents or other care-givers who are suffering from Aids-related diseases.
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