Barbados eliminates mother-to-child HIV transmission

The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Barbados for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV as a public health problem. This recognition follows an independent evaluation of the country’s healthcare services and outcomes.

Between 2022 and 2024, Barbados recorded 6,352 live births with no new HIV infections resulting from mother-to-child transmission. To meet international validation targets, the country maintained a transmission rate of less than 2 percent, a perinatal HIV incidence below 0.5 per 1,000 live births, and over 95 percent coverage for antenatal care, HIV testing, and antiretroviral treatment for pregnant women.

Dr. Dale Babb, Senior Medical Officer of Health, noted that the achievement is the result of decades of work. The prevention program, which began in 1995, has seen HIV testing among pregnant women rise from 40 percent in 1993 to 98 percent in recent years. While the certification does not mean HIV has been eradicated from the island, it confirms that the vertical transmission rate has been reduced within international standards through a sustainable healthcare system.