Denmark Clinches EU First in Eliminating Mother-to-Child HIV and Syphilis
The World Health Organization certified Denmark as the European Union’s first country to eliminate mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of HIV and syphilis, after meeting 2021–2024 targets with low infant transmission and high prenatal testing/treatment coverage. Elimination is defined as testing and treating at least 95% of pregnant women and keeping new infant infections under 50 per 100,000 births year after year. Denmark’s universal health system, strong data and laboratory capacity, and commitment to rights-based care underpinned the achievement, which comes with ongoing work toward triple elimination including hepatitis B; WHO notes Denmark joins a growing group of countries validated or certified for EMTCT milestones.
