By Fr. Charlie B. Chilufya, S.J.
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” — Matthew 19:14
In 2025, nearly two decades after the global community first committed to ending AIDS as a public health threat, the latest global data shows that despite the major progress that has been made there is still a great injustice when it comes to children. The data carries major implications for Kenya, Africa, and the global faith community.
According to UNICEF’s 2025 global data, there has been a 62 per cent decline in new HIV infections among 0–14-year-olds since 2010, and a 44 per cent drop among adolescents aged 15–19. Yet, in 2024, roughly 120,000 children were newly infected, and 75,000 children under 15 died of AIDS-related causes (UNICEF DATA). Sub-Saharan Africa still bears 86 per cent of child HIV infections worldwide, with treatment coverage ranging from 37 per cent in West & Central Africa to 89 per cent in South Asia (UNICEF DATA).
Kenya’s Story: Real Progress, Real Pain
Kenya continues to reflect both hope and urgency. In Kenya, about 1.4 million people live with HIV,75,000 of whom are children. In 2023,3,800 children were newly infected and 2,700 died from AIDS-related causes.This is despite HIV prevalence falling from 10 per cent in the late 1990s to around 3.2 per cent in 2023.
The number of children living with HIV decreased from approximately 180,000 in 2010 to around 111,500 in 2020 (UNICEF). Most strikingly, 82 per cent of HIV-positive children in Kenya now receive ART, one of the highest coverage rates in the region (pedaids.org). Despite this progress, significant gaps remain: over one in five children still lacks treatment, and adolescents continue to be underserved.
Signs of Hope: Why We Can Still Believe
• Reduced infections: Kenya’s PMTCT programme has halved child infections since 2010.
• High paediatric ART coverage: 82 per cent of HIV-positive children are on treatment—a strong outlier in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Youth inclusion: UNICEF’s 2025 estimates elevate adolescents (10–24) as a focus group, enhancing the country’s efforts on youth-focused HIV responses (UNICEF DATA).
Justice Deferred: What Remains Unfinished
1. Paediatric treatment gap persists
Kenya’s 82 per cent coverage is commendable, globally only 55 per cent of HIV-positive children receive ART. The remaining ~18,000 Kenyan children without treatment are at risk—an urgent justice issue.
2. Regional inequities endanger gains
Kenya shines in Eastern Africa, but West & Central Africa lags at just 37 per cent coverage. A faltering global response could undermine Kenya’s momentum.
3. Orphanhood and trauma
globally, 13.8 million children are AIDS-orphans. In Kenya, faith communities bear much of this burden but lack consistent support.
4. Adolescent vulnerability
In 2024, 370,000 young people aged 15–24 became newly infected worldwide, with adolescent girls bearing two-thirds of new cases (UNICEF DATA). In Kenya, girls, especially in rural areas, face heightened risk.
5. A Gospel Perspective on the Crisis
Jesus did not just bless children—He made them essential to His Kingdom. “Whoever welcomes one of these little ones in my name welcomes me” (Mark 9:37). Denying children access to life-saving treatment is not merely a policy failure—it is denying Christ Himself.
What Kenya—and the World—Must Do
• Bridge the paediatric treatment gap: Accelerate early surveillance, simplified regimens, and decentralized drug delivery, especially in high-burden counties like Homa Bay, Siaya, and Kisumu
• Strengthen faith-based systems
Churches and missions are trusted in remote areas. Invest in staff, supply chains, stigma reduction, and adolescent-friendly services.
• Empower adolescents
Engage youth networks in peer-led counselling, prevention work, and policy design—especially for girls.
Support orphaned children holistically
Provide psychosocial, educational, and nutritional support through strengthened church and community partnerships.
• Champion global solidarity
Advocate for equitable drug pricing, sustained donor funding, and support for lagging regions. Kenya’s success depends on a fair global response.
A Final Word: The Cry of Our Children
The HIV epidemic among children is more than a health issue—it is a moral mirror. Jesus’s words echo into 2025: “Let the children come… do not hinder them.” Too many are still being hindered—by poverty, stigma, and unequal systems.
As a Jesuit priest, analyst, and advocate, I call us to action: through policy, prayer, presence, and global solidarity, let us ensure every child living with or affected by HIV is acknowledged, supported, and dignified.
This is our moral responsibility. This is our Gospel call. This is the justice our children cry out for.
Fr. Charlie B. Chilufya, S.J. is a Jesuit priest and international affairs analyst, chairing the African Health and Economic Transformation Initiative (AHETI), advancing equitable health across Africa.
