In Eastern and Southern Africa, HIV infections account for more than half of the global total, and two-thirds of new hepatitis B infections worldwide come from Africa. Namibia has over 200,000 HIV-positive individuals, with new infections disproportionately affecting women.
Progress Made
Since 2010, 2.5 million children globally have avoided HIV transmission from mother-to-child, with Namibia accounting for 28,000 of these cases. Over the past 20 years, nearly universal HIV testing for pregnant women has been achieved, reducing mother-to-child transmission rates by 70%.
In 2022, only 4% of babies born to HIV-positive mothers were infected with the virus. Nearly 80% of newborns received timely hepatitis B vaccinations at birth, a key indicator of success on the path to eliminating hepatitis B.
Namibia has integrated primary health care with antenatal, child health, and sexual and reproductive health services. The government is committed to providing stable domestic funding for national health programs, widely offering high-quality, free clinical services and support.
According to specified standards, the World Health Organization (WHO) has rated Namibia as having achieved “silver” progress in reducing hepatitis B and “bronze” progress in HIV. Namibia adopted a coordinated strategy to curb the spread of hepatitis B, HIV, and syphilis before achieving this milestone.
The WHO's "Triple Elimination Initiative" aims to ensure maternal and child health by eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B, recognizing every child's right to be free from these viruses at birth. These diseases are prevalent in low- and middle-income countries. The initiative encourages countries to integrate services and adopt a people-centered approach to improve maternal and child health.
Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, stated that this is a milestone achievement for Namibia, demonstrating the potential of strong political leadership and effective implementation of public health priorities to save lives. Collective efforts can accelerate the goal of eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis B, and syphilis.
The validation process led by WHO, in collaboration with UNICEF, UNAIDS, and UNFPA, evaluates data and standardizes milestones for disease elimination. Among other criteria, a country will be certified at the silver level by WHO if it vaccinates 50% or more of newborns against hepatitis B. Countries that reduce mother-to-child HIV transmission rates to below 5% will receive bronze certification.
Setting an Example
Anne Githuku-Shongwe, UNAIDS Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, noted that many countries fail to address children’s treatment as they do for mothers and adults, which is a disservice to them. Namibia has been combating this injustice, and she is proud of the country's tremendous efforts to ensure every child receives care. She stated that Namibia sets an example for the entire region.
Etleva Kadilli, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, mentioned that Namibia adopted a truly integrated approach to addressing HIV early on, achieving this milestone. The country has not treated HIV as an isolated disease but as part of a broader health and development agenda encompassing maternal and child health for everyone. Namibia has reached out to mothers and their children, including those in the most remote areas.
Namibia launched its first "National Elimination Strategy" in 2014 and later developed the "National Elimination of HIV and Syphilis Roadmap" in 2020, which was subsequently expanded to include hepatitis B. The country established a multi-sectoral national verification committee to eliminate these three diseases based on WHO guidelines.
