Dominica receives appreciation for eliminating Mother To Child Transmission of HIV, SYPHILIS

Dominica: Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, while receiving the appreciation certificate for eliminating Mother To Child Transmission of HIV and SYPHILIS, addressed the meeting and said that he appreciates all joint members of this project.

PM Skerrit especially thanked Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) for their invaluable technical support and guidance, working with them for the past seven years since they engaged in the initiative. The Pan-American Health Organization has been persistent and committed to working with them, despite the COVID-19 Pandemic, to meet the targets required for the Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV and Syphilis as a public health concern in Dominica.

PM Skerrit also thanked Director of PAHO, Dr Carissa F. Etienne for surveillance overall technical collaboration of the Pan-American Organization with the people of the Commonwealth of Dominica.

PM also mentioned some important points while addressing:

⦁ 95% or more coverage of antenatal care and skilled attendance at birth.

⦁ 95% or more coverage of HIV and Syphilis screening of pregnant women.

⦁ 95% or more coverage of HIV and Syphilis treatment in pregnant women.

⦁ 0 Incidence of perinatal HIV (per 1,000 live births

⦁ 0 Incidence of congenital syphilis (per 1,000 live births)

There have been no new cases experienced in the Commonwealth of Dominica over the past four years of Mother to child transmission of HIV and Syphilis.

PM Skerrit stated that the success they celebrate today did not come overnight, but have resulted from many’s cumulative, progressive and concerted efforts. As they look towards the future, they intend to enhance further and expand the maternal and child health platform while maximizing efforts to eliminate other preventable communicable diseases.

PM Skerrit also conveyed his genuine thanks to all the women and their partners who recognized the critical importance of these early interventions during pregnancy and took appropriate actions, and by extension supported the prevention efforts.

In the end, PM Skerrit said, “Finally, I wish to ratify the Commonwealth of Dominica’s commitment to continue to work assiduously to ensure a generation born free of HIV and congenital syphilis”.