Yerevan /Mediamax/. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis in Armenia, Belarus and Moldova.

According to the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), elimination validation certificates were presented to the Ministers of Public Health of the three aforementioned countries during a ceremony in New York.

“To ensure children are born healthy is to give them the best possible start in life. It is immensely encouraging to see countries succeed in eliminating mother-to-child transmission of these two diseases,” said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan.

According to her, this is a tremendous achievement and a clear signal to other countries that elimination is possible and that the world is on the way to an AIDS-free generation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has been working in Armenia, Belarus and Moldova since 2010 with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis.

“This is a success for these countries and a celebration for children and families. We expect that these achievements will inspire many other European countries to seek validation that they have ended mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis,” said Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe.

“As we move forward, it is important that children have equitable access to services that can help them thrive and develop in a supportive family environment, with their mothers alive and nurturing their well-being,” noted in her turn Marie-Pierre Poirier, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia.

Armenia, Belarus and Moldova have worked to ensure early universal access to free services for antenatal care, HIV and syphilis testing for pregnant women and their partners, treatment for women who test positive, early diagnosis in infants, free infant formula and community engagement.