Ecuador's Ministry of Public Health held its First National Meeting on the ETMI Plus Strategy, bringing together gynecologists, pediatricians, obstetricians and midwives to strengthen efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of four diseases.
The gathering was organized through the ministry's project to strengthen the promotion, prevention and care of HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, TB/HIV coinfection, and viral hepatitis B and C. The ministry said the aim was to build the skills of health workers and consolidate national commitment to eliminating mother-to-child transmission of the four diseases.
What is ETMI Plus
The ETMI Plus initiative was launched by the Pan American Health Organization in 2010 to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. It was expanded in 2016 to include hepatitis B and Chagas disease. The Pan American Health Organization is the World Health Organization's regional office for the Americas.
The ministry said the project's purpose is to guarantee universal access to comprehensive maternal and newborn health services through prevention, timely diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care for mothers and their children.
The scale of transmission in Ecuador
According to ministry figures, Ecuador reported 430 children perinatally exposed to HIV in 2025, of whom 427 completed follow-up without acquiring the infection.
The ministry also recorded 327 pregnant women with syphilis, 136 cases of congenital syphilis, 93 pregnant women with hepatitis B and 169 pregnant women with Chagas disease. The ministry said the figures underscore the importance of strengthening prevention and care efforts.
Officials react
Wendy Gavica, deputy minister of health governance, presented the statistics, which she said reflect the scale of the maternal and neonatal health challenge in Ecuador. She said it was worth remembering that behind every figure is a family and a community.
Gavica highlighted progress in prenatal screening for the four conditions and in timely access to antiretroviral treatment for HIV, benzathine penicillin for syphilis and immunoprophylaxis for hepatitis B.
She thanked the Pan American Health Organization, Unicef, academic institutions, scientific societies and national and international partners for their support. She reaffirmed the ministry's commitment to continuing evidence-based action, with an approach grounded in rights, interculturality and equity, toward certifying the elimination of mother-to-child transmission, while recognizing the daily effort of health teams across the country.
Who took part
The meeting brought together specialists in gynecology and obstetrics, pediatrics, neonatology, infectious diseases, family and community medicine, nursing and certified midwifery. Representatives of Ecuador's public health network, the complementary private health network, academia and national and international cooperation bodies also attended, including the Pan American Health Organization, the World Health Organization and Unicef.
The day included the exchange of experiences, an update of technical guidelines, and the integration of an intercultural approach, with the participation of midwives and community actors.
