Whereas despite global efforts, 1,000 children around the
world still contract HIV each day, the majority through mother-to-child
transmission of HIV;
Whereas approximately half of the 34 million people living
with HIV around the world are women, and 3.4 million are children as of
2010;
Whereas 90 percent of children living with HIV are in
sub-Saharan Africa;
Whereas as of 2010 only 23 percent of children in need
were receiving antiretroviral therapy;
Whereas without any medical attention, half of all
HIV-positive children will die before their second birthday without diagnosis
and treatment;
Whereas a quarter of a million children worldwide died of
AIDS-related illness in 2010;
Whereas over 15 million women of childbearing age were
living with HIV in 2010;
Whereas nearly 90 percent of HIV-positive expectant
mothers in need of services worldwide live in 22 countries in sub-Saharan
Africa and India;
Whereas the United States began investing in prevention of
mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services in 2002 with the announcement of
the United States International Mother and Child HIV Prevention
Initiative;
Whereas in 2005 only 14 percent of women were receiving
prevention of mother-to-child transmission services and that number is now
nearly 50 percent;
Whereas when antiretroviral drugs are used as prophylaxis,
mother-to-child transmission of HIV can be reduced to less than 5
percent;
Whereas in fiscal year 2011, the President’s Emergency
Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) directly supported HIV testing and counseling for
more than 9.8 million pregnant women and provision of antiretroviral drug
prophylaxis to prevent mother-to-child transmission for more than 660,000 of
these women who tested positive for HIV, allowing approximately 200,000 infants
to be born HIV-free;
Whereas in June 2011, the United States joined UNAIDS and
over 70 partner countries, international and civil society organizations and
private sector entities in launching the Global Plan towards the Elimination of
New HIV Infections Among Children by 2015 and Keeping their Mothers
Alive;
Whereas 90 percent of pediatric HIV infections are from
mother-to-child transmission, 100 percent are preventable;
Whereas every mother should have the opportunity to fight
for the life of her child; and
Whereas every family should have the opportunity to keep
its mother healthy and alive: Now, therefore, be it
That the Congress—
(1)recognizes that
the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV is critical to stopping
the spread of HIV worldwide;
(2)recognizes that
the fight to eliminate pediatric HIV has been a priority area in the United
States AIDS response for the past decade, and that this leadership should
continue;
(3)supports providing
women with HIV counseling and testing services where possible, and scaling up
access to services that prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV;
(4)calls for greater
access to more efficacious antiretroviral drug regimens for the health of women
and children living with HIV and as prophylaxis to stop HIV transmission from
mother-to-child during pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding; and
(5)fully support
United States led, and international efforts, to create a generation free of
HIV, to eliminate new pediatric HIV infections worldwide, and to keep the
mothers of that generation alive.