Global elimination of mother to child HIV transmission is now achievable, say agencies

For the first time the elimination of transmission of HIV from mothers to their babies is considered a realistic goal, according to a presentation at a summit in New York on the United Nations’ millennium development goals.

On 21 September the heads of Unicef, the World Health Organization, UNAIDS, and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, together with representatives of donor governments and most affected countries, jointly launched a new initiative to promote intensified efforts to reach all mothers and children with the most effective interventions.

Unicef says that although the delivery of proved interventions “has effectively eliminated MTCT [mother to child transmission] in affluent countries, …