‘Getting to zero’: the policy role of social determinants of health as they relate to children and youth living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa

Major changes in UNAIDS international policy and treatment guidelines from 2010 to 11 still need to be correspondingly translated into policy and practice at national and local in-country levels. This special issue has drawn on social determinants of health (SDH) perspective to investigate how better to provide HIV and health services to affected children and youth. The articles featured here give examples of how a SDH perspective not only supports flexible and coordinated in-country service provision, but also fits well with UNAIDS' broader policy goals for the eradication of HIV and AIDS through the “Getting to Zero” policy campaign. We call for the widespread adoption of a SDH-based framework for policy, programming, and funding at all levels, to advance the UNAIDS policy goals of increased HIV service usage and decreased HIV rates in children and youth, as well as in all populations globally.