Elimination of Vertical Transmission (EVT)

Overview

Preventing the transmission of HIV between mother and child is core to the mission and history of The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF). Huge success has been achieved since 1980s, but over the past five years, reductions in new HIV infections among children stagnated. In 2022, 130,000 children acquired HIV, despite a global target of only 20,000 new infections by 2023.3. Effective interventions before, during, and after pregnancy, could have prevented these infections.

We have tools like Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) Programs, Early Infant Diagnosis (EID), Cesarean Section Delivery, Safe Infant Feeding Practices, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to eliminate vertical transmission (EVT) of HIV, however EVT is not adequately prioritized by funders and service delivery programs. More action is needed to achieve our goal.

EGPAF’s Public Policy and Advocacy team developed these EVT fact sheets to provide quick facts about mother-to-child transmission in countries where we work and support advocacy efforts around EVT.