WHO confirms that Brazil has eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV

The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Brazil for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (EMTCT), making it the most populous country in the Americas to achieve this historic milestone. This achievement reflects Brazil's long-standing commitment to universal and free access to health services through a unified health system (SUS), based on a strong primary health care 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, WHO Director-General. “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 that every mother receives the care she deserves.”

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

Meeting the validation criteria

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

The country applied a progressive, subnational approach by first certifying states and municipalities with over 100,000 inhabitants, adapting the PAHO/WHO validation methodology to their national context while maintaining coherence across the country.

The evaluation, with the support of PAHO, was carried out by independent experts who reviewed data, documentation and operations of health institutions. The findings were then evaluated by the World Advisory Committee for Global Validation, which formally recommended the Brazilian 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, PAHO Director. “It is also the result of the tireless dedication of thousands of health professionals, community health workers and civil society organizations. Every day they maintain continuity of care, identify barriers and work to overcome them, ensuring that even the most vulnerable populations can access basic health services.”

Part of a wider initiative

Over the past decade (2015-2024), more than 50,000 pediatric HIV infections have been prevented in the Americas region as a result of the implementation of the initiative to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

Brazil's success is 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 UNICEF and UNAIDS. It is incorporated within PAHO Initiative to eliminatea regional effort to eliminate more than 30 infectious diseases and related conditions in the Americas by 2030.

“I am delighted that Brazil has just been certified by WHO/PAHO to eliminate vertical transmission – the first country of more than 100 million people to do so,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “And they've done it by doing what we know works—prioritizing universal health care, addressing the social determinants that drive the epidemic, protecting human rights, and even—when necessary—breaking up monopolies to ensure access to medicines.”

Global context

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

Outside the Americas, countries confirmed for HIV EMTCT include Armenia, Belarus, Malaysia, Maldives, Oman, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.