UNICEF: Aids now leading cause of death among African teenagers
Aids is now the leading cause of death among African teenagers and the second most common killer for adolescents across the globe, the United Nations’ agency for children has said.
At a conference in South Africa, Unicef said despite gains made among adults and babies with HIV, the number of 10 to 19-year-olds dying from Aids-related diseases has tripled since 2000.
Craig McClure, the chief of Unicef’s HIV and Aids division, said children born with the virus were dying in their teens because there was not enough treatment aimed at adolescents.
Mani Djelassem, a 17-year-old activist who was born HIV-positive, said it was essential to educate teenagers about the disease and the medication that has been vital to saving her own life.
