WINDHOEK: Namibia has been awarded by the World Health Organisation (WHO) with the Silver Tier certificate on the path to elimination of mother-to-child transmission of the Hepatitis B virus and the Bronze Tier on the path to elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV as a public health problem.

WHO certifies a country as having attained silver tier status when the hepatitis B vaccine is given to 50 per cent or more newborn babies, while bronze certification is awarded to countries which have reduced the vertical transmission of HIV from mother to child to less than 5 per cent.

Accepting the awards here on Monday during the opening ceremony of the African Health Workforce Investment Forum, Minister of Health and Social Services Dr Kalumbi Shangula said Namibia has been implementing a programme for the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV since 2002. In this regard, the country made significant progress by the end of 2023 with 98.5 per cent of babies born to HIV-positive mothers being HIV-free.

‘For a country with a high HIV and hepatitis B virus burden to be recognised to be on the path to elimination of these diseases is a significant achievement. These achievements came after many years of investments to offer free services and deliberate consistent actions in the PMTCT programme,’ he said.

Shangula noted the overall Mother-to-Child Transmission rate of HIV was 4.02 per cent in 2020, and 4.41 per cent in 2021, which translated to a Mother-to-Child Transmission case rate of 603 per 100 000 live births in 2020, and 594 in 2021.

He further added that ART (anti-retroviral therapy) coverage among HIV-positive pregnant women was 98.4 per cent in 2020 and 98.4 per cent in 2021.

On her part, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said the recognition not only speaks to the important work done by the Government of Namibia in the sub-sector of public health and the healthcare professionals who have dedicated their lives to this cause, but is also a testament to the resilience, the unity, and unwavering commitment of the Namibian people as a whole.

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti handed over the award during the opening ceremony of the African Health Workforce Investment Forum.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency