WHO says Barbados eliminates mother-to-child transmission of HIV

According to Caribbean Life, The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) says Barbados has eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV as a public health problem, marking a major public health milestone resulting from years of sustained efforts to ensure babies are born free of HIV. “I congratulate Barbados on protecting a generation of children from HIV,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general on Friday, Oct. 30. “Barbados has shown what universal health coverage looks like in practice: free services for every pregnant woman, regardless of nationality, and care that respects her rights and privacy. “With 15 countries and territories in the Americas now recognized, the region continues to show the world the way,” he added. The Washington, D.C.-based Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) also said on Oct. 30 that Barbados now joins a group of 26 countries and territories worldwide recogni