Denmark has become the latest country to be certified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis, two curable bacterial infections, often co-existing, that may be transmitted sexually and vertically.
The WHO granted the validation in February 2026, confirming “that Denmark met all required targets from 2021 to 2024, including low transmission rates and high coverage of prenatal testing and treatment for pregnant women,” according to last month’s statement.
The declaration recognises Denmark as the first European Union nation to achieve such a “major” milestone in public health, with only 22 other countries and territories across the globe having a similar accreditation to date.
A testament of strong commitment
WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, said: “Denmark’s success is a testament to the strength of its maternal health system and its long-standing commitment to reaching every pregnant woman with the care she needs.”
Further contextualising the development, Kluge explained that the elimination of vertical transmission of HIV and syphilis “means testing and treating at least 95 out of every 100 pregnant women – and keeping new infant infections below 50 per 100,000 births, year after year.”
“Denmark has met these benchmarks through strong antenatal care, reliable data systems and respect for women’s rights,” he said.
For WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the achievement “demonstrates that with strong political commitment and consistent investment in primary care and integrated maternal and child health services, countries can protect every pregnant woman and newborn from these diseases.”
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Brazil also made it
In December 2025, the WHO also validated Brazil for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, making it the first country of more than 100 million people to do so.
“Eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV is a major public health achievement for any country, especially for a country as large and complex as Brazil,” Ghebreyesus was quoted as saying in a statement.
According to WHO, Brazil’s success was “part of the broader EMTCT Plus Initiative, which seeks to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and congenital Chagas,” in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
“Brazil met all the criteria for EMTCT validation, including reducing vertical transmission of HIV to below 2% and achieving over 95% coverage for prenatal care, routine HIV testing and timely treatment for pregnant women living with HIV,” the global health agency said.
The capital, Brasilia, reportedly hosted a ceremony last year to mark the milestone in the presence of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s Minister of Health Alexandre Padilha, among other relevant officials.
The development makes Brazil the most populous country in the Americas to be validated by the WHO for EMTCT of HIV.
Cuba became the first country in the world to achieve such a historic milestone in 2015.
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