Barbados halts HIV transmission from mother to child
The WHO has certified Barbados because HIV transmission during pregnancy and birth there no longer constitutes a public-health problem.
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Barbados has been recognised by the World Health Organisation for ending mother-to-child transmission of HIV as a public-health problem. The certification follows an independent assessment.
The WHO announced the certification on Friday. It does not mean that transmission can never occur anywhere in the world or under any circumstances, but that international public-health targets for mother-to-child transmission have been met.
According to local health authorities, 6,352 live births were recorded in Barbados between 2022 and 2024 without any new HIV infections attributed to mother-to-child transmission. The WHO based its recognition on an independent assessment of the national approach.
The approach consists of early detection, access to antiretroviral treatment and care during pregnancy and birth. This can greatly reduce the amount of virus in the body of someone with HIV, lowering the chance of transmission. The precise treatment remains dependent on medical assessment.
Barbados is therefore an example of how a relatively small country can achieve a measurable health target by making care structurally available. The achievement does not mean the work is finished: the WHO and local health organisations stress the importance of continued access to testing, treatment and follow-up care.
The certification is primarily relevant as a public-health milestone. It says nothing about the individual health of people with HIV and does not change the fact that untreated HIV can have serious consequences. For policy and healthcare, the challenge now is to maintain the results and reach groups that have less easy access to care.
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The WHO, PAHO and a local broadcaster confirm Barbados’s certification. The text makes clear that this concerns elimination as a public-health problem, not an absolute guarantee of zero future cases.
- confirmed The WHO has certified Barbados for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV as a public-health problem. — The WHO and PAHO reported the certification on 30 October 2026. source
- confirmed Between 2022 and 2024, Barbados recorded 6,352 live births without any reported new HIV infections caused by mother-to-child transmission. — This figure was reported by Barbados Today and cited in local coverage; the WHO confirms that the targets were achieved. source
- confirmed The certification followed an independent assessment. — The WHO describes the independent assessment as part of the certification. source
Editor's note
The WHO certification and the independent assessment have been confirmed. The baseline measurement concerns the reported period from 2022 to 2024; the certification does not mean that every future individual risk has disappeared.Sources
- Barbados eliminates mother-to-child transmission of HIV — World Health Organization
- Barbados celebrates elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission — Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation
- Elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Barbados — Pan American Health Organization
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „barbados hiv”
- RTL Nieuws — „barbados hiv”
- NOS — „barbados hiv”