By Akeem Abas
The U.S Global AIDS Coordinator, John Nkengasong, said an additional 3.5 million babies were born HIV-free from 2004 to 2021.
This was part of a report presented on Friday at the 24th International AIDS Conference ongoing in Montreal, Canada.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the conference which began officially on Friday, July 29, is expected to end on Aug. 2.
John Nkengasong is also the Special Representative for Health Diplomacy Ambassador-at-Large.
Nkengasong said that the impact was achieved through the reduction of HIV incidence and prevalence among adolescent girls, young women, women of childbearing age and adult men.
Nkengasong said that the effort brought about an additional 3.5 million babies born HIV-free from 2004 to 2021.
He said that a total of 5.5 million babies had been born HIV-free as a result of the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and its partners.
“In collaboration with countries, communities and our partners, PEPFAR supported comprehensive HIV prevention programming.
“This was for adolescent girls, young women and voluntary medical male circumcision, and we scaled up treatment for women and men with viral suppression.
“In total, 5.5 million babies were born HIV-free because of our comprehensive prevention program and this is an incredible milestone for our programme and for the next generation,” Nkengasong said. (NAN)