The state of the pediatric HIV epidemic in Lesotho.

Objective: Lesotho does not have reliable data on HIV prevalence in children, relying on estimates generated from program data. The 2016 Lesotho Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (LePHIA) aimed to determine HIV prevalence among children 0-14 years to assess the effectiveness of the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) program and guide future policy.

Methods: A nationally representative sample of children under 15 years underwent household-based, two-stage HIV testing from November 2016-May 2017.