Globally, 1.8 million children under age 15 are living with HIV (2015).
Infants born to mothers living with HIV have poorer growth and higher morbidity and mortality than children who are born to mother who are not infected with HIV. Furthermore, abnormalities in growth are common in children infected with HIV. Children living with HIV/AIDS are at increased risk of malnutrition. Chronic infection including HIV/AIDS can lead to poor growth and may reduce appetite, food intake, and nutrient absorption at a time when the body needs good nutrition the most to fight the infection. The result is a further weakened immune system that is ill equipped to fight the virus and infections like tuberculosis.
Many children living with HIV suffer from severe acute malnutrition, a life-threatening condition. To increase their chances of survival, these children need therapeutic foods to urgently treat malnutrition, combined with antiretroviral treatment to stop the disease from progressing