Barbados certified for ending mother-to-child transmission of HIV
· BehindLines newsroom
On 30 October 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Barbados had eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV as a public health problem. According to WHO, an independent assessment confirmed that the country reached the global targets set for this elimination.
What the figures show
WHO says no new HIV infections passed from mother to child were reported among babies born in the country between 2022 and 2024. Over those three years, 98% of pregnant women received antenatal care, 98% were tested for HIV and 98% of those living with the virus received antiretroviral treatment. Barbados Today adds that 6,352 live births were recorded over the period. The newspaper recalls the thresholds required: a transmission rate below 2%, perinatal incidence below 0.5 per 1,000 live births, and coverage above 95% for antenatal care, testing and treatment.
Three decades of work
Also according to Barbados Today, the prevention programme began in 1995, after research showed that zidovudine (AZT) could markedly reduce transmission. The rate reportedly fell from 27% to 5.5%, then dropped further once a second preventive drug was added. The share of pregnant women tested is said to have risen from 40% in 1993 to 89% in 2004, then 98% in 2025. A ceremony took place at the Sandals Royal Ballroom in Maxwell, Christ Church, organised by PAHO/WHO and the Ministry of Health and Wellness. Minister Lisa Cummins called the milestone long overdue and said the work must continue; Prime Minister Mia Mottley praised a result achieved by putting people ahead of market considerations.
A certification, not a final victory
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus congratulated Barbados for protecting a generation of children, pointing to services that are free for every pregnant woman whatever her nationality. WHO stresses that certification does not mean HIV has disappeared from the country. To keep the status, Barbados will need to sustain investment, update its guidelines, strengthen health information systems, expand joint HIV and syphilis testing and improve follow-up of women and children. WHO says the country joins 26 countries and territories recognised for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis or hepatitis B, or for being on track to do so, 15 of them in the Americas. This article relays public information and is not medical advice.