UN Teams Celebrate Milestones in Fight Against HIV/AIDS in Belize, Jamaica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines
The UN’s teams are currently collaborating on various programs in 162 countries and territories, tackling a range of priorities including climate change, food security, gender equality, and civilian safety. These Resident Coordinators and their teams are using innovative methods to problem-solve and better serve communities.
This month saw several impressive milestones achieved by these teams. On Tuesday, May 7th, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Belize, Jamaica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have successfully eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. This recognition was part of a certification initiative involving PAHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS, and the ministries of health from these countries. This accomplishment is a major step forward in strengthening maternal and child health programs and aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Key officials at the certification event included PAHO/WHO Director Jarbas Barbosa, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Christine Stegling, and UN Resident Coordinator Dennis Zulu. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus commended the countries for their dedication to integrating disease prevention and treatment into maternal and child health services as well as their commitment to human rights and robust national laboratory systems.
These countries join 20 others that have been certified for similar achievements. The Caribbean leads the way with 11 certified countries. To keep up with the latest updates from UN teams around the world be sure to check out previous daily reports.
