One in three of the 157,000 children living with HIV in SA are not accessing the antiretroviral therapy (ART) they desperately need to maintain their health according to data released by Thembisa, the leading mathematical model of HIV. – Spotlight (27 May 2025)
Only 65% of children with HIV are on treatment, 13 percentage points lower than the 78% coverage for all individuals living with the virus; 85.5% of children are diagnosed versus 95% overall; and 76% of children has started with treatment initiation among the diagnosed versus 81% overall.
Western and Northern Cape 70% reported treatment coverage for children, while seven other provinces fall below 60%.
To address the problem, experts advocate for family-centred care, integrating maternal and child HIV services, and bolstering psychosocial support for caregivers.