Adolescent girls and young women as a critical population for HIV epidemic control in sub-Saharan Africa : are we doing enough?

Abstract

Without proper control measures, sub-Saharan African (SSA) adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 15–24 are at high risk of HIV infection. Despite significant progress in the control of the HIV epidemic, most new infections in SSA in 2023 occurred in AGYW. High sexual and reproductive activity in AGYW contributes significantly to the HIV epidemic, making them a priority population for focused prevention efforts that uphold their sexual and reproductive health and rights.