HIV medicines for children
Grant Value

US$417.1 million

Time frame

2006-2015

Lead Grantee

Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI)

Program Area
HIV and coinfections
Status: Completed

The problem

While HIV testing and treatment for adults was progressing, care for children with HIV lagged behind. When the project began, pediatric formulations and appropriate dosing information was limited, treatment was expensive, and diagnosing HIV in children was costly and required technology or infrastructure that was often unavailable in low- and middle-income countries.

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Our response
This project led a multi-country effort to improve the quality of treatment for children with HIV, to optimize pediatric antiretroviral drugs and to transition procurement from Unitaid to other buyers. Working in partnership with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), we secured long-term agreements with primary and secondary suppliers and negotiated reduced prices. Child HIV medicines are specifically adapted so the youngest and most vulnerable can more easily access treatment. Fruit-flavored formulations make it easier for caregivers to administer treatment, and proper guidance of dosing means children benefit from more effective care. Between 2007 and 2014, the project extended access to HIV treatment for children in 40 countries – and the impact of this work continues to grow as more countries take up child medicines.

80% less

The overall price reduction in child antiretrovirals

~500,000 kids

Nearly half a million children with HIV started treatment

>2 million

Infants tested for HIV with early-infant diagnostics

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