Namibia On Track To Eradicate Maternal Transmission of HIV, Syphilis And Hepatitis B

By:Justicia Shipena
Namibia is determined to bring the mother-to-child HIV transmission rate down to less than two percent by 2028, a health official said Monday.
Ben Nangombe, the Executive Director of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, made the pledge at the opening session of a joint Regional Validation Committee meeting in Windhoek, with the aim of validating the country’s remarkable progress in the path to the elimination of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B virus
The Triple elimination initiative backs the worldwide commitment to eliminating mother-to-child or vertical transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B.
Namibia has made tremendous success in improving her indicators on prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV and congenital syphilis.
The country has attained a universal coverage of over 95% for process indicators including those for first and maternal antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage.
Although there is lack adequate of data on syphilis situation in the country, with an ANC syphilis prevalence rate of 2%, congenital syphilis indicators are expected to be better than those for PMTCT of HIV.
The HIV estimates 2018 report puts the country at less than 6 % final MTCT of HIV rate1. Despite this progress, challenges to attainment of eMTCT of HIV and congenital syphilis exist.
The PMTCT initiative was launched as a trial in Namibia in 2002 at Katutura Intermediate Hospital.
The PMTCT programme’s objective is to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission, with an MTCT rate of 2% by 2028.
Nangombe stated that Namibia has made strides in improving MTCT indicators over the years and is expected to be one of the next African countries to be certified for being on the path to triple elimination of MTCT of the three infections.
Namibia launched its national roadmap for HIV and syphilis elimination in 2020 three years ago, outlining priority interventions that Namibia is and will focus on in order to steadily move towards certification as having achieved Gold Tier Status, 250 cases per 100,000 live births, as per the World Health Organization’s path to elimination targets.
According to Nangome, the national triple validation study shows that Namibia has almost universal testing coverage for HIV and syphilis in prenatal care settings, and that nearly all individuals who test positive for HIV and syphilis receive treatment.
“The programme data indicates that Namibia is doing well with HBV antenatal testing and antiviral prophylaxis coverage as well as HBV birth dose for infants,” Nangombe added.
According to various projections, the total MTCT rate in 2020 was 4.02%, 4.41% in 2021, and 4.14% in 2022.
This leads to a case rate of 481 per 100,000 live births in 2020, 486 in 2021, and 486 in 2022, according to him.
Nangombe said the country has achieved nearly 100% HIV testing among pregnant women undergoing antenatal care (ANC) in the previous three years.
“The antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage among HIV positive pregnant women was 99% in 2020, 101% in 2021 and 96.5% in 2022.”
Meanwhile, 98% of pregnant women were tested for syphilis in 2020, 92% in 2021, and 97% in 2022.
According to Nangombe, the percentage of pregnant women with syphilis who received treatment was 75% in 2020, 75.4% in 2021, and 93.6% in 2022.
Furthermore, he stated that the rate of testing for Hepatitis B virus infection among pregnant women was 89% in 2020, 82% in 2021, and 93% in 2022. While coverage of the Hepatitis B vaccination birth dosage was 86% in 2020, 83% in 2021, and 94% in 2022, while coverage of the third dose in children was 93% in 2020, 94% in 2021, and 83% in 2022.
He also stated that the route to triple elimination is a continual effort, and that the study served as a lens for identifying current impediments for which the government must constantly find long-term solutions.
Speaking at the same meeting, World Health Organisation Officer in Charge Dr Mary Brantuo stated that the National Validation Committee was established and trained over three years ago to monitor the process of eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis.
Brantuo said the Triple Elimination Initiative has accelerated the expansion of maternal and child health services to address vertical transmission.
“In response to the submission of the Namibian government, the National Validation Committee for validation for Path to elimination, WHO /AFRO as the Regional Validation Secretariat has convened the Regional Validation Committee, to embark on this mission to review the status of achievement.”
Namibia’s outstanding political, administrative, and financial leadership and support, as well as the solid in-country relationship, according to Brantuo, are significantly responsible for the substantial success accomplished.