Maldives achieves historic milestone with triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission

A historic milestone for children and families – Maldives has become the first country in the world to achieve Triple Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission (EMTCT) of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B, certified by the World Health Organization (WHO).This remarkable achievement means every child born in Maldives now has a greater chance at a healthy, infection-free start in life.

A national commitment to every mother and every child

For years, Maldives has invested in strong maternal and child health services – from universal antenatal screening and timely treatment to safe delivery practices and comprehensive postnatal care.

Receiving the certification from WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Minister of Health, H.E. Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim noted, “This recognition reflects our national pride and shared commitment to leave no mother or child behind.”

“Every child has the right to be born free from infection and to grow up healthy and strong,” said Dr. Edward Addai, UNICEF Representative to Maldives. “This achievement is a powerful reminder of what’s possible through leadership, partnership, and a relentless focus on equity and quality care.”

UNICEF’s role: supporting every step of the journey

From the earliest stages of the EMTCT journey, UNICEF Maldives worked alongside the Government of Maldives, WHO, and UNAIDS to make this vision a reality.

As a member of the National Validation Committee (NVC), UNICEF provided technical support throughout the validation process, reviewing data, drafting the national report, and ensuring women, children, and vulnerable populations were central to the analysis and recommendations.

UNICEF’s experts supported policy reviews and service delivery models, ensuring that maternal and newborn health services were inclusive, high-quality, and equitable.

During the Regional Verification Committee (RVC) mission, UNICEF facilitated stakeholder consultations, offered contextual insights, and provided technical inputs to strengthen the country’s readiness for validation. This dual-level engagement, with both national and regional partners, helped ensure a robust and inclusive validation process.

At the regional level, UNICEF South Asia contributed by reviewing and refining the Maldives’ national EMTCT report, ensuring it met global standards and that interventions for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B were fully integrated.

Leading the way to a healthier generation

Maldives’ success sets a new global benchmark and brings hope to millions. It demonstrates that with strong systems, sustained investment, and collaboration, countries can eliminate preventable diseases and give every newborn the best start in life.

As the world moves toward the 2030 global goal for triple elimination, UNICEF calls on all countries in South Asia and beyond to build on this momentum – so that no child is born with HIV, syphilis, or hepatitis B.

For every mother. For every newborn. For every child.

This article is first published at UNICEF Maldives website on Maldives achieves historic milestone with triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission

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