Global health body says strong maternal care, testing programmes key to milestone
By Bunmi Yekini
Denmark has been certified for eliminating the transmission of HIV and syphilis from mothers to their babies, the World Health Organization said, marking what health officials described as a major public health milestone for the Nordic country.
The certification confirms that Denmark has sustained very low transmission rates and maintained high levels of testing and treatment among pregnant women between 2021 and 2024, following an independent review process by global health experts.
“This milestone demonstrates that with strong political commitment and consistent investment in primary care and integrated maternal and child health services, countries can protect every pregnant woman and newborn from these diseases,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO.
The validation followed assessments by WHO’s regional and global advisory committees in 2025, which confirmed that Denmark met the required benchmarks for elimination. These include testing and treating at least 95% of pregnant women and maintaining fewer than 50 new infant infections per 100,000 births annually.
Health officials say Denmark’s universal healthcare system, which provides routine screening for infections during pregnancy, has been central to the achievement.
“As the first European Union country to achieve this public health milestone, Denmark’s success is a testament to the strength of its maternal health system and its long-standing commitment to reaching every pregnant woman with the care she needs,” said Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
Kluge said the country had met elimination benchmarks through strong antenatal care services, reliable health data systems and a rights-based approach to maternal health.
Denmark’s health ministry said the recognition reflected decades of work by healthcare professionals, midwives and public health teams focused on early testing and treatment for pregnant women.
“This validation by WHO is a proud moment for Denmark and the result of decades of work by our health-care professionals, midwives and public health teams,” said Sophie Løhde, Denmark’s Minister for the Interior and Health.
She added that Denmark’s universal health system, which guarantees equal access to medical services, had been fundamental to achieving the target.
Being the first country in the European Union to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of both HIV and syphilis also brings responsibility, she said, adding that Denmark hopes its experience will encourage other countries pursuing similar goals.
Public health experts say preventing transmission during pregnancy is critical in global efforts to eliminate new infections among children. Untreated HIV or syphilis in pregnant women can lead to severe complications, including miscarriage, stillbirth or lifelong infection in newborns.
According to WHO criteria, elimination does not mean the diseases have disappeared entirely but that countries have reduced transmission to very low levels while maintaining strong prevention systems.
Denmark’s success has been attributed to a combination of policies including universal prenatal screening, high treatment coverage, strong laboratory systems and robust national health records that track infection trends.
The country has relatively low infection rates among pregnant women. About 5,950 people are living with HIV nationwide, while fewer than 0.1% of pregnant women are affected, according to national health data cited by WHO.
Routine testing and treatment programmes have reduced mother-to-child HIV transmission to zero in recent years, health officials said.
Syphilis infections are also uncommon among pregnant women due to systematic prenatal screening and treatment. In 2024, Denmark reported 626 cases of syphilis overall, most of them among men.
The WHO said Denmark is now working toward “triple elimination,” which would add the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus to the existing achievements on HIV and syphilis.
Hepatitis B prevalence in Denmark is estimated at about 0.2% to 0.3%, mainly among migrants from regions where the infection is more common.
The WHO said it is supporting Denmark’s efforts to complete the triple elimination process, which requires sustained testing, vaccination and treatment coverage.
Denmark joins a group of 22 countries and territories that have been validated by WHO for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis or hepatitis B, or are certified as being on the path toward elimination.
These include Brazil, Botswana, Cuba, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
Global health officials say the growing number of countries reaching elimination targets shows that integrated maternal health services, routine testing and strong political commitment can dramatically reduce the risk of infections in newborns.
The WHO said Denmark’s experience offers a model for other countries seeking to strengthen programmes aimed at ensuring babies are born free from HIV, syphilis and other preventable infections.