The global community has committed to eliminating mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT), also known as vertical transmission, of HIV and syphilis as a public health priority. In 2014 the World Health Organization (WHO) released the first edition of the Global guidance on criteria and processes for validation: elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. In 2015 the Global Validation Advisory Committee for EMTCT was established and that same year the first country, Cuba, was validated. The second edition of the guidance, published in 2017, captured the learning from validation efforts, making it more relevant for high burden countries, expanding the capacity of maternal and child health services to address vertical transmission of communicable diseases.
This third version includes guidance for validation of elimination of vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV), within the Triple Elimination Initiative (EMTCT of HIV, syphilis and HBV).