Maldives Achieves Historic Triple Elimination Of Mother-to-child Transmission Of Diseases

In a landmark nationalist wellness achievement, nan World Health Organization (WHO) has validated nan Maldives for eliminating mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of hepatitis B, while maintaining its earlier validation (in 2019) for EMTCT of HIV and syphilis. This makes nan Maldives nan first state successful nan world to execute 'triple elimination'.

Maldives has shown that pinch beardown governmental will and sustained finance successful maternal and kid health, elimination of mother-to-child transmission of these deadly diseases, and nan suffering they bring, is possible. This historical milestone provides dream and inspiration for countries everyplace moving towards nan aforesaid goal."

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General

Mother-to-child transmission leads to infections that impact millions worldwide. In nan WHO South-East Asia Region alone, provisional estimates bespeak that successful 2024, much than 23 000 pregnant women had syphilis and complete 8000 infants were calved pinch congenital syphilis. About 25 000 HIV-positive pregnant women required curen to forestall transmission to their babies, while hepatitis B continues to impact much than 42 million group successful nan Region.

"Maldives' accomplishment is simply a testament to its unwavering committedness towards cosmopolitan wellness coverage, to supply value and equitable attraction crossed its dispersed islands to all, including migrants." said Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-Charge, WHO South-East Asia Regional Office. "This landmark feat is an important measurement towards 'Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,' for improving maternal and newborn wellness by ending preventable deaths and prioritizing semipermanent well-being. I congratulate Maldives and look guardant to nan state pioneering advancement successful galore different areas, while sustaining these gains."

Integrated care, cosmopolitan wellness sum and partnerships thrust historical success

Over years, Maldives has built an integrated and broad attack to maternal and kid health. More than 95% of pregnant women person antenatal care, pinch astir cosmopolitan testing for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B. The state besides has a beardown immunization system, pinch complete 95% of newborns consistently receiving a timely dose of hepatitis B commencement dose and afloat vaccine coverage, protecting infants from lifelong infection. As a result, nary babies were calved pinch HIV aliases syphilis successful 2022 and 2023, while a 2023 nationalist study confirmed zero hepatitis B among young children (first people of school), surpassing elimination targets. These achievements are backed by cosmopolitan wellness coverage, which guarantees free antenatal care, vaccines and diagnostic services for each residents, including migrants, supported by beardown policies and finance of complete 10% of GDP successful health.

"This historical validation is simply a infinitesimal of immense pridefulness for nan Maldives and a reflection of our nation's patient committedness to protecting mothers, children and early generations," said H.E Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, Minister of Health, Maldives. "Achieving triple elimination is not only a milestone for our wellness sector, but besides a promise by nan Government to our group that we will proceed to put successful resilient, equitable and high-quality wellness services that time off nary 1 behind."

This milestone reflects beardown partnerships betwixt government, backstage wellness providers, civilian society, and world partners, moving together connected screening, services, outreach, and method support.

"The Maldives' triple elimination stands arsenic a powerful illustration of really sustained finance successful wellness systems, innovation, and community-based attraction tin alteration nan trajectory of nationalist health, said Ms Payden, WHO Representative to Maldives. "WHO is proud to person collaborated pinch nan Government of Maldives and will proceed to supply method support to prolong this accomplishment and guarantee that each kid crossed each nan islands person a patient future."

Sustaining advancement for nan future

Maldives will proceed to fortify its wellness strategy by integrating integer wellness information, expanding targeted interventions for cardinal populations and migrants, enhancing backstage assemblage engagement and reporting and improving laboratory value management. WHO will support Maldives to guarantee sustained elimination efforts to beforehand advancement for broader maternal, kid and teen wellness goals.