The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Validation Advisory Committee (GVAC) has validated the elimination of mother to child transmission of both syphilis and HIV – EMTCT – in Anguilla. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis occurs when a woman with HIV or syphilis passes the virus to her infant. This transmission can occur during pregnancy, labor and delivery, or through breastfeeding. Without intervention, approximately 15%–30% of infants born to HIV-positive women become infected with HIV during pregnancy and delivery. A further 5%–20% become infected through breastfeeding.
In order to eliminate the transmission of these viruses from mother to child, countries require high standard programmatic interventions; high testing coverage for HIV and syphilis and high quality health information systems. Therefore, this validation is a major public health achievement for Anguilla. Furthermore, this achievement requires partnership and cooperation between the healthcare service providers and the members of the general public who must participate in such programmes.
The Ministry of Health would like to express congratulations and heartfelt thanks to our partners of the Health Authority of Anguilla, the private sector and members of the public for this major progress in the long fight against HIV and sexually transmitted infections and towards an AIDS-free generation. This cooperation will be necessary going forward to maintain this status in subsequent years.
The EMTCT of HIV and syphilis validation status for Anguilla will be published in WHO Weekly Epidemiological Record. .
For further information, please contact the Ministry of Health and Social Development or the Chronic Disease Unit.
– Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
