Barbados awaits verdict on mother-to-child HIV transmission

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is awaiting a formal report from the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) to determine whether Barbados has achieved official verification for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of HIV.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Acting Permanent Secretary Wayne Webster confirmed that the recent PAHO assessment was conducted at the ministry’s request to independently evaluate Barbados’ readiness to meet the operational standards required for validation.

“The recent assessment conducted by PAHO was done at the invitation of the ministry,” Webster said. “The aim was to obtain independent verification of Barbados’ operational effectiveness in meeting EMTCT standards for HIV.

“The PAHO team conducted a robust assessment of the key elements of service through visits to health care facilities and laboratories, and reviewed data and surveillance systems that are used in the process of providing services to support EMTCT.

“The initial feedback is extremely encouraging. However, a formal report will be provided to the ministry in due course and, to that extent, the ministry cannot give a date for next steps.”

Asked why the process had taken several years to reach this stage, Webster said certification demands sustained, deliberate progress.

“Healthcare improvement is a continuous and very deliberate process at that, because it involves people’s lives,” he said.

If verified, Barbados would become the 12th Caribbean country to officially eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, joining Belize, Jamaica, and St Vincent and the Grenadines, which received certification last year. The EMTCT verification process also covers efforts to prevent transmission of syphilis and hepatitis B from mother to child.

A PAHO delegation completed a pre-assessment last week, touring major health facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and polyclinics, to evaluate testing protocols, maternal care, and disease surveillance systems. Barbados is expected to receive accreditation by year-end. (SZB)