Child Poverty in Mozambique. A Situation and Trend ... - Unicef

More than half of children living with HIV/AIDS in Mozambique probably die before
reaching their second birthday. AIDS is fast emerging as a major cause of mortality
among children, with an estimated 20,000 child deaths due to AIDS in 2006 (or
about 17 per cent of all deaths). In this regard, AIDS is threatening the gains made
by Mozambique in recent years for reducing child mortality. It is the single greatest
obstacle to meeting the MDG target for child mortality reduction.
While most infection among children occurs through mother-to-child transmission,
there are reports from the Paediatric Day Hospital in Maputo that up to 5 per cent
of children are infected with HIV through sexual abuse, blood transfusions and
contaminated injection equipment.
Box 3.7: Making paediatric treatment more affordable
Paediatric formulations have not been a priority of drug companies, as effective
family planning and PMTCT programmes in industrialised countries have reduced
transmission to negligible levels and the demand for child-oriented drugs
in developing countries remains uncertain. Continuing advocacy efforts are
underway for greater priority to be given to development of combination paediatric
formulations. Mounting public pressure and a series of global consultations have
begun to yield results and several companies are developing easy-to-use paediatric
three-drug combinations.
Paediatric ARVs have until recently cost up to ten times as much as adult
formulas. However, with increasing availability of generic first-line syrups, costs
have gone down substantially. The most common first-line paediatric syrups
procured by the Mozambican Government, which is suitable for 80 per cent of
children, currently cost US$ 313 per child per annum, compared to an average of
US$ 145 for the most common adult first line treatment. Second line paediatric
treatment costs an average of $2,637 per annum per child. The proportional costs
for adult second and third line treatment are similar.
The Ministry of Health estimates that 75 per cent of children under 15 living with HIV/
AIDS require ARV treatment, compared to an average of 15 per cent of HIV positive
adults. By mid 2006, only about 2,300 children were receiving treatment, representing
less than 3 per cent of the need. The distribution of children accessing treatment is
highly inequitable, with 68 per cent of all children under treatment in 2005 living in the
four southern provinces of the country, and 55 per cent alone living in Maputo City.
Figure 3.21: Access inequity: distribution of children receiving paediatric
treatment in 2005 by region
Central
Region
24%
Southern
Region
68%
Northern
Region
8%
Source: MISAU
CHILDHOOD POVERTY IN MOZAMBIQUE: A SITUATION AND TRENDS ANALYSIS
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