An estimated 5.4 million young people 15 to 24 years old are living with HIV. There are no good estimates for 10–14 year olds, but their numbers are likely to increase as more and more children infected with HIV have access to life-prolonging antiretroviral therapy (ART). At the same time, for young people who become infected during adolescence, efforts to make HIV testing more available are likely to increase the numbers who know they are infected.

The health sector needs to be clear about its role in addressing the needs of young people living with HIV (YPLHIV). Young people have different needs from children and adults, and require different approaches to meeting these needs. They will also have different needs from each other depending on their age and sex, and how they became infected.

To increase understanding, identify gaps and obstacles and make practical recommendations to improve the role of the health sector in the provision of care, support, treatment and prevention for YPLHIV, WHO & UNICEF convened a global consultation in Malawi, 13 to 17 Nov. 2006. This report from that consultation focuses on the consensus developed at that consultation on strengthening the health sector response to care, support, treatment and prevention for YPLHIV. It describes ongoing challenges YPLHIV face through a  focus on real people, in real situations with real problems, to draw out recommendations for how health institutions can better support YPLHIV across all elements of their lives. 

To start the consultation, young people presented “maps” based on their own or other young people’s experiences from infection through to diagnosis, care and treatment. These vignettes helped to focus the discussions on real people, in real situations with real problems. Two background papers had also been prepared for discussion during the meeting, one representing the voices of young people and the other the perspectives of health service providers. These papers and the report of the meeting, WHO/UNICEF global consultation on strengthening the health sector response to care, support, treatment and prevention for young people living with HIV, can be found on the Internet.