The vast majority of children living with HIV are in 10 countries that also comprise more than 60 per cent of pregnant women living with HIV. Uptake of antiretroviral therapy in children increased in all 10 countries between 2005 and 2007. The number of children receiving antiretroviral therapy increased 2.6 times in South Africa, 3 times in Kenya, nearly 4 times in Mozambique and nearly 5 times in Zimbabwe.

Challenges, however, still exist toward reaching universal access to antiretroviral therapy for children in many countries by 2010. While tremendous progress has been made, most children living with HIV who need antiretroviral therapy globally are still not receiving treatment, resulting in high rates of mortality among children younger than five years of age directly attributable to HIV.