The Association "Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII" supports the campaign of Caritas Internationalis for the access to medicines for children living with HIV


RightChild


RightChild

More than 800 children died daily of AIDS in 2007.

Many who died would still be alive today if they had received the necessary treatment.

Despite evidence that treatment is very successful in children living with HIV and TB, there remain significant obstacles to the pediatric care they need.

Adults with HIV are living longer and fuller lives because they have access to a care package, but the treatment is not readily available in a child-friendly format.

Most of the children who die every year would have not even contracted HIV if their mothers would have been treated. Children have been the forgotten in global and national efforts to address HIV and AIDS.

In 2009, the world celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Caritas is launching “HAART for Children: Greater Access to Pediatric HIV and TB testing and treatment”, a campaign urging governments and pharmaceutical companies to live up to the Convention by develop medicine that will treat HIV and TB in children and save lives.

HAART stands for Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART), the term given to treatment regimens to aggressively suppress viral replication and slow the progress of HIV disease.

Since all children living with HIV have the right to access to diagnosis and child-friendly medications, we need to keep up the pressure on governments, pharmaceutical companies and UN Agencies.

The Caritas Internationalis and Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA), in collaboration with partners around the world, are embarking on a year-long action with governments, pharmaceutical companies and media to improve access to medicines for children with HIV. Children and young people are invited to take action with their school,faith community or family to help make this happen.

Find more information about the campaign on Caritas Internationalis or Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA) web sites

Young people, especially aged 11-16, are encouraged to write letters to governments and pharmaceutical companies asking them to improve the treatment and services available to children living with HIV. Ideas are also given for students and youth groups to raise awareness of these issues in local newspapers and other media.