Category : Health » HIV Aids
on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) publishes. materials on subjects of relevance to . may be difï¬
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HIV Aids
Content Summary :
A major contributing factor to childhood disease and mortality In developing countries, many gains were achieved in the 1990s, by WHO/UNICEF’s child survival programmes in immunization, oral rehydration therapy, effective case management of acute respiratory infections, promotion of breastfeeding, good weaning practices, family planning and growth monitoring. But the HIV/AIDS pandemic has reversed these gains in many countries. Children with HIV infection suffer from the same common childhood illnesses as those who are not infected. The illnesses are, however, more frequent, last longer and may respond poorly to usual treatments. Most illnesses are initially caused by common harmful germs. However, as HIV infection progresses, the illnesses may be due to harmless germs that take advantage of the body’s inability to fi ght infection as a result of HIV illness. These may be diffi cult to diagnose. Unless concrete action is taken now, under-fi ve child mortality rates will more than double in countries such as Botswana, Kenya and Zimbabwe by the year 2010.