Some gains have been made in the global effort to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV and to extend paediatric antiretroviral treatment and co-trimoxazole to children who have the disease, a United Nations report says.

According to the Children and AIDS: Second Stocktaking Report, 351 034 HIV positive pregnant women living in poor and middle income countries received antiretroviral treatment in 2006, up 59% from 220 085 in 2005.

Similarly, the number of HIV positive children who received antiretrovirals reached 127 300, up 70% from 75 000 in 2005, says the report.

HIV prevalence among women aged 15-24 who attend antenatal clinics, the report notes, has …