Cuba eliminates mother-to-child HIV and syphilis - WHO

Cuba is the first country in the world to receive validation from the World Health Organization for wiping out mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. In the announcement on Tuesday, Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), describes the achievement as a "major victory" and an "important step" toward an AIDS-free generation. "Eliminating transmission of a virus is one of the greatest public health achievements possible," says Dr. Chan. Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS says the achievements shows it is possible to end the AIDS epidemic and they now "expect Cuba to be the first of many countries coming forward to seek validation that they have ended their epidemics among children."