The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Message...

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) is a proven leader in the fight for an AIDS-free generation and an advocate for children, youth, and families to live long, healthy lives.

• Founded over 30 years ago through a mother’s determination, EGPAF is committed to a comprehensive response to the global fight to end HIV and AIDS through research, global advocacy, strengthening of local health care systems, and growing the capacity of governments and communities in the world’s most affected regions to respond to urgent needs.
• To date, EGPAF has supported over 15,000 sites to offer HIV counseling, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services alongside high-quality family health care. Currently, EGPAF’s global footprint spans 17 countries.
• Every day, approximately 500 children are newly infected with HIV because their families lack access to the health services they need to prevent transmission. Mother-to-child transmission is preventable, yet almost all new infections in children result from MTCT during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.
• EGPAF’s programs have averted nearly 400,000 new HIV infections in children since 2000.
• Today, just as when we were founded, children are the forgotten face of HIV/AIDS. Only half (53%) of the 1.8 million children living with HIV have access to the medications they need to stay healthy. Without treatment, half of HIV-positive children will die before their second birthday, and most will die before they are five years old.
• AIDS is a leading cause of death among young people in Africa. EGPAF is working to prioritize adolescents through provision of youth-friendly, comprehensive HIV prevention, testing, care, and treatment services, as well as targeted community-based activities and outreach.
• In the past year, EGPAF has provided nearly 1.8 million adolescents and youth access to HIV testing and counseling, and currently supports nearly 179,000 adolescents and youth with the treatment they need to stay healthy.

For more on the Elisabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, click here.