The World Health Organization (WHO) announced Tuesday that it is validating Cuba as the first country to end HIV transmission between mother and child. The country's certification proves that the virus can be eliminated even without a cure.
“This is a major victory in our long fight against HIV and sexually transmitted infections, and an important step towards having an AIDS-free generation,” said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan in a statement.
Global health officials are faced with the challenge of mother-to-child HIV transmission as 1.4 million HIV-positive women become pregnant each year. The likelihood of transmitting the virus to the baby is quite high at 15 to 45 percent.
The WHO started giving antiretroviral medicines to the mothers and babies, which lowered the risk to 1 percent. Since 2010, the organization has been working with different countries to develop measures that could eliminate the transmission risk of HIV and syphilis. HIV-positive pregnant women are given access to prenatal care, screenings and other treatments.
Cuba is the first country to request certification. Next to undergo certification are Bulgaria, Moldova, Turkmenistan and Thailand, according to the New York Times.
“Cuba’s success demonstrates that universal access and universal health coverage are feasible and indeed are the key to success, even against challenges as daunting as HIV,” said Pan American Health Organization Director Dr. Carissa F. Etienne. “Cuba’s achievement today provides inspiration for other countries to advance towards elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis."
In the United States, the CDC estimates that about 914,826 people are currently living with HIV. About 50,000 people are newly infected with HIV each year, and nearly two-thirds of gays and bisexuals acquire the disease. There is not much data about mother-to-child transmissions.
