The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Denmark as the first country in the European Union (EU) to eliminate mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of both HIV and syphilis, marking a significant achievement in maternal and child health.
The announcement was made in a WHO news release dated 27 February 2026, following assessments by WHO validation committees.
Previously, on 13 October 2025, WHO recognized Maldives as the first country to achieve triple elimination of MTCT of HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis B. The country had previously eliminated HIV and syphilis transmission from mother to child in 2019, and inclusion of hepatitis B was achieved later in 2025.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the recognition as a “major public health achievement.”
“The elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis marks a major public health achievement for Denmark,” Dr Tedros said, adding that strong political commitment and continuous investment in primary care and integrated maternal and child health services were key to reaching this milestone.
According to WHO, validation is based on Denmark meeting all required targets from 2021 to 2024, including:
High coverage of prenatal testing for both HIV and syphilis among pregnant women
Treatment and care to prevent vertical transmission when infections are detected
Low transmission rates sustained over multiple years
Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, explained the criteria used for validation:
“Elimination means testing and treating at least 95 out of every 100 pregnant women and keeping new infant infections below 50 per 100,000 births, year after year. Denmark has met these benchmarks through strong antenatal care, reliable data systems and respect for women’s rights.”
These thresholds originate from WHO’s global guidance on validation of EMTCT, elimination of mother-to-child transmission, which sets uniform standards for countries to demonstrate sustained control of vertical transmission for HIV and syphilis.
Without intervention, HIV can be passed from mother to infant during pregnancy, labour, delivery, or breastfeeding. Untreated, such transmission contributes to infant illness and death. Syphilis, a bacterial sexually transmitted infection, can also cross the placenta and cause stillbirth, neonatal death, or congenital infection.
Interventions to prevent MTCT typically include:
Routine antenatal screening for infections
Antiretroviral therapy for pregnant women with HIV
Antibiotic treatment for maternal syphilis
Follow-up care for infants at risk
By consistently applying these public health measures, countries reduce the incidence of new infant infections to levels consistent with “elimination as a public health problem,” a term used by WHO for monitoring progress.
Denmark’s achievement reflects decades of integrated maternal health services, universal health coverage, and robust routine prenatal screening.
According to the WHO release, Denmark has:
Low HIV prevalence among pregnant women, less than 0.1% affected
Systematic testing and treatment for both HIV and syphilis in pregnancy
Comprehensive data tracking and laboratory capacity to support surveillance
These systems ensure early detection and intervention, reducing the chances of vertical transmission.
Denmark is also working toward full triple elimination, which includes hepatitis B alongside HIV and syphilis. WHO continues to support Denmark in this extended validation process.
Denmark joins a growing list of countries certified by WHO for eliminating MTCT of HIV, syphilis, or hepatitis B, or for being on the path to elimination.
(Rh)
