title: Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of syphilis and HIV in China: What drives political prioritization and what can this tell us about promoting dual elimination?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study aims to identify reasons behind the lower political priority of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of syphilis compared with HIV, despite the former presenting a much larger and growing burden than the latter, in China, over the 20years prior to 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  We undertook a comparative policy analysis, based on informant interviews and documentation review of control of MTCT of syphilis and HIV, as well as nonparticipant observation of relevant meetings/trainings to investigate agenda-setting prior to 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified several factors contributing to the lower priority accorded to MTCT of syphilis: relative neglect at a global level, dearth of international financial and technical support, poorly unified national policy community with weak accountability mechanisms, insufficient understanding of the epidemic and policy options, and a prevailing negative framing of syphilis that resulted in significant stigmatization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A dual elimination goal will only be reached when prioritization of MTCT of syphilis is enhanced in both the international and national agendas.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Dadong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK. Electronic address: s.hawkes@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hawkes
authors.affiliation: The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Kent
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Buse
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D060740:Disease Eradication / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D006291:Health Policy; D006292:Health Priorities / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology; D013587:Syphilis / Q000635:transmission*
keywords: Agenda-setting; China; HIV; Mother-to-child transmission; Syphilis