World Health Organization has given Maldives an award for eliminating measles. This award was given during the 70th regional meeting of WHO which is being held in the Maldives.
WHO announced that Maldives has completely eradiated measles on 13th June 2017. It was announced during the 8th meeting of Immunization Technical Advisory Group which was held in Delhi. The South East Asian director of WHO Dr.Poonam made the announcement.
Maldives and Bhutan are among the first to have eradicated measles in this region. Dr.Poonam noted that these two countries are the first to achieve the target of eradicating measles before 2020. Maldives started giving vaccine to communicable diseases in 1976. Measles vaccine was started in 1983.
A person with measles was last found in Maldives in 2008. Supplementary immunization activities were conducted in Maldives in 2005, 2006 and 2007. In addition, starting from 2007 new born babies are vaccinated for MMR.
Steps are being taken to strengthen the disease surveillance program to achieve the target of controlling rubella and eradicating measles from the region. In 2017 Maldives started a national campaign for MR vaccine.
The campaign was officially inaugurated by President Yameen. The Regional Verification Commission has verified the results of the campaign in April 2017. Maldives will continue to vaccinate newborns to measles to remain as a measles free country.
Health Minister Abdullah Nazim thanked the public for their cooperation and WHO for their help as well in eradicating measles from Maldives.
WHO gives an award to Maldives for eliminating measles!
