Rising HIV cases among young people trigger alarm after teen’s death

ISTANBUL

The recent death of a 13-year-old child from AIDS in the western province of İzmir has alarmed health authorities and doctors, intensifying concerns over the rising prevalence of HIV among youth and young adults in Türkiye.

According to private Turkish broadcaster NTV, the child was initially admitted to the hospital on suspicion of osteoporosis. However, both her HIV-positive status and subsequent death sparked widespread public outcry on Nov. 14.

As the girl was brought to the hospital in the final stage of the disease, she could not be saved. Two psychiatric evaluations conducted prior to her death found no evidence of abuse, the Health Ministry said, adding that the investigation remains ongoing.

A pre-surgery HIV test conducted three years prior to her death had returned negative, leading to speculation that the virus was not congenital.

With sexual abuse emerging as a central focus of the investigation, suspicions have been further fueled by the fact that the girl’s father is HIV-positive, while her mother and sibling tested negative.

The incident has cast renewed light on an issue that, though periodically highlighted by experts, has not been widely acknowledged: The increasing prevalence of HIV among younger populations in Türkiye.

Experts attribute this trend to unprotected sexual intercourse, a decrease in the age of sexual initiation and cases of abuse.

According to the official figures, the most significant rise in HIV-positive diagnoses is observed in the 25-35 age group, closely followed by individuals aged 15-19, Prof. Dr. Hüsnü Pullukçu told daily Hürriyet.

Pullukçu specifically attributed the increase among young people aged 15 to 19 to sexual transmission and the shared use of drug injection needles.

At Istanbul Medical Faculty, one of Türkiye’s primary centers for tracking pediatric HIV cases, approximately 100 HIV-positive children have been monitored. Among them, 80 contracted the virus at birth, while 20 were found to have acquired it sexually.

“Such cases were rare in earlier years, but we’ve witnessed an uptick in the past six years,” remarked Professor Dr. Ayper Somer of Istanbul University.

If a child did not acquire the virus congenitally, it is likely the result of subsequent sexual abuse, she said during an interview.

Associate Professor Dr. Asuman İnan further emphasized the need to educate children on self-protection against abuse and the importance of safe sexual practices.

“While global HIV cases are on the decline, regrettably, Türkiye is experiencing an upsurge,” she noted.

Due to the stigma surrounding HIV, many young people avoid testing out of fear of social ostracization, according to Yağmur Şenoğuz, the head of the Positive Living Association, an NGO dedicated to raising awareness and supporting HIV-positive individuals.

“The age of sexual initiation has fallen below 18. On one hand, we have children diagnosed with HIV through sexual activity, and on the other, children who seek medical help for unrelated health issues and are subsequently found to have suffered abuse,” Şenoğuz explained.

“The social anxiety keeps many from getting tested, which only facilitates further spread of the virus.”