Health ministers from African Union (AU) member states, along with development partners and civil society organisations, have called for urgent and coordinated action to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B by 2030.
The call was made at the conclusion of the High-Level Ministerial Conference on Triple Elimination, held in Kampala from July 21 to 23, 2025.
The three-day summit focused on mobilising political commitment and addressing critical gaps in awareness, testing, and treatment of these preventable infections that continue to endanger millions of lives across the continent.
The ministers highlighted that vertical transmission of the three infections remains a significant public health challenge in Africa, undermining the health of women, children, and families.
However, they emphasised that effective and affordable interventions already exist and must now be scaled up.
Under the theme “Unifying Actions, Transforming Futures: Achieving Triple Elimination in Africa by 2030”, the ministers endorsed a continental strategy grounded in the Africa Elimination of Vertical Transmission (AEVT) Plan and the AU Roadmap to 2030 and Beyond.
They urged member states to adopt costed national action plans with clear targets, allocate sustained funding, and ensure that by 2030, at least 95% of pregnant women receive timely and comprehensive antenatal care.
This includes routine testing and counseling for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B during the first trimester.
Countries also pledged to ensure 95% of newborns receive the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth; provide lifelong antiretroviral therapy to HIV-positive pregnant women; guarantee access to Benzathine Penicillin for treating syphilis and antiviral prophylaxis for hepatitis B; maintain consistent supplies of diagnostics, medicines, and vaccines; integrate elimination services into maternal and child health programs; and establish national surveillance systems to monitor progress and outcomes.
The ministers also recognised existing barriers such as stigma, discrimination, gender inequality, and disparities in access to healthcare, particularly in rural areas.
They called for inclusive and community-driven approaches that engage civil society, affected populations, and people living with these diseases in program design and implementation.
Regional institutions including the African Union Commission, Africa CDC, and AUDA-NEPAD were tasked with generating political momentum, strengthening data systems, creating a continental knowledge hub, and supporting local manufacturing of essential health commodities.
International development partners were encouraged to align their support with African priorities by providing technical and financial assistance, addressing systemic challenges, and promoting shared learning and accountability across countries.
The AEVT Plan will guide implementation and serve as the accountability framework, linked to the broader “Keeping Their Mothers Alive” campaign, which aims to eliminate transmission while safeguarding maternal health.
The Kampala Declaration reinforces Africa’s commitment to achieving universal health coverage and Sustainable Development Goal 3 Good Health and Well-being by eliminating preventable infections transmitted from mothers to their children.
