The road to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission

Abstract

The World Health Organization’s Global Health Observatory estimates that 78 million people have been infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) during the course of the epidemic, and that 39 million men, women, and children have died.1 Nearly 1 in 20 adults in sub-Saharan Africa are currently living with the infection. HIV represents one of the world’s most serious health problems. The WHO global health sector strategy on HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has identified four strategic directions to guide countries’ HIV response to achieve the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goal of halting the spread of HIV/AIDS. A core element of strategic direction one was the elimination of new HIV infections in children.2 It is encouraging that the number of new HIV infections in children is decreasing in most parts of the world. In 2011, there were approximately 330,000 new childhood infections, and while this is a reduction of 43% since 2003, it remains unacceptably high.3 Unfortunately, increased childhood infection rates were observed in Angola, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau. While a small proportion of childhood infections result from blood transfusions, sexual abuse, or unsafe injecting practices, the main cause is mother-to-child transmission