The World Health Organization confirms Brazil's elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission

The World Health Organization confirms Brazil's elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission

The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Brazil for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of HIV, making it the most populous country in the Americas to reach this historic milestone. This success reflects Brazil's long-standing commitment to universal and free access to health services through its Single Health System (SUS), anchored in a strong primary health system and respect for human rights.

“Eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV is a major public health achievement for any country, especially one as large and complex as Brazil,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO. “Brazil has shown that with sustained political commitment and equal access to quality health services, any country can ensure that every child is born HIV-free and every mother receives the care she deserves.”

The milestone was marked at a ceremony in Brasília attended by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil's health minister Alexandre Padilha and the director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, as well as representatives of UNAIDS.

Fulfillment of validation criteria

Brazil met all criteria for EMTCT validation, including reducing vertical transmission of HIV to less than 2% and achieving over 95% coverage for antenatal care, routine HIV testing, and timely treatment of pregnant women with HIV. In addition to meeting the validation goals, Brazil has demonstrated the provision of high-quality services to mothers and their infants, robust data and laboratory systems, and a strong commitment to human rights, gender equality, and community engagement.

The country adopted a progressive, subnational approach by first certifying states and municipalities with populations greater than 100,000 and adapting the PAHO/WHO validation methodology to the national context while maintaining nationwide consistency.

The PAHO-supported assessment was conducted by independent experts who reviewed data, documentation and operations of health facilities. The results were then assessed by the WHO's Global Validation Advisory Committee, which officially recommended Brazil's validation for elimination.

“This achievement shows that eliminating vertical transmission of HIV is possible when pregnant women know their HIV status, receive timely treatment, and have access to maternal health services and safe delivery,” said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Director of PAHO. "It is also the result of the tireless commitment of thousands of health professionals, community health workers and civil society organizations. Every day they ensure continuity of care, identify barriers and work to overcome them to ensure that even the most vulnerable populations have access to essential health services."

Part of a broader initiative

Over the past decade (2015-2024), more than 50,000 pediatric HIV infections were averted in the Americas through implementation of the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV Initiative.

Brazil's success is part of the broader EMTCT Plus initiative, which, in collaboration with UNICEF and UNAIDS, aims to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and congenital Chagas. It is part of PAHO's Elimination Initiative, a regional effort to eliminate more than 30 communicable diseases and related conditions in the Americas by 2030.

I am pleased that Brazil has just been certified by WHO/PAHO to eliminate vertical transmission - the first country with more than 100 million people to achieve this. And they did it by doing what we know works – by prioritizing universal health care, tackling the social factors driving the epidemic, protecting human rights and even – when necessary – breaking monopolies to ensure access to medicines.”

Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director

Global context

Brazil is one of 19 countries and territories worldwide validated for EMTCT by WHO. Twelve of them are in the Americas region. In 2015, Cuba became the first country in the world to be validated for EMTCT of HIV and the eradication of congenital syphilis. Other countries in the region include Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Montserrat and St. Kitts and Nevis in 2017; Dominica in 2020; Belize in 2023; and Jamaica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in 2024.

Countries outside of the Americas validated for EMTCT of HIV include Armenia, Belarus, Malaysia, Maldives, Oman, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

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