Botswana reaches key milestone in the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV

Botswana has become the first high-burden country to be certified by WHO for achieving an important milestone on the path to eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV. WHO awards this certification to countries which have brought the mother-to-child HIV transmission rate to under 5%; provided antenatal care and antiretroviral treatment to more than 90% of pregnant women; and achieved an HIV case rate of fewer than 500 per 100 000 live births.

The country demonstrates that an AIDS-free generation is possible. It's a big step forward in ending AIDS in Africa and shows how visionary political leadership aligned with public health priorities can save lives.

The story of Kenielwe

Kenielwe (in red) and her mother Cecilia (in Blue) walk around Lobatse town, in Botswana, where Kenielwe goes to high school. She is 17 years old and she was born HIV-free thanks to the medication her mother Cecilia took when she was pregnant. 

Kenielwe is grateful to her mother for taking the pills and protecting her. She was born HIV-free and is looking forward to her future. She wants to become pharmacist. 

The story of Dora

Dora lives in Serowe village, Botswana. She is a poultry farmer who is living with HIV. When she was pregnant she worried she would transmit the virus to her baby. She waited anxiously for the HIV test result and she could not be happier when it came out negative. 

Dora had enrolled in an antenatal care programme which provided treatment to protect her child. She takes antiretroviral therapy and her son was born HIV-free. 

Globally, 15 countries have been certified for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV. None of them had an epidemic as large as Botswana. The country’s feat to date on its journey to elimination is the result of a national response strategy spanning two decades. In 1999 and facing an HIV prevalence rate as high as 30%, Botswana initiated an aggressive programme to prevent mother-to-child transmission. In 2013, Botswana became one of the first countries in the world to implement the so-called ‘Option B+’, a plan for treating all pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV with a highly effective lifelong triple antiretroviral treatment regimen at the time of diagnosis.