World Health Organisation (WHO) has donated a gene-sequencing machine to the Maldives.
WHO Representative to the Maldives Dr. Nazneen Anwar handed over the gene-sequencing machine to Minister of Health Ahmed Naseem at a special ceremony.
Gene-sequencing supports the monitoring of COVID-19 spread as well as the activity and evolution of the virus, opening new paradigms in epidemic and pandemic prevention and control. The technology enables a fast turnaround time to gain knowledge of circulating variants and is also easily deployable and cost-effective. WHO stated building in-country sequencing capacity will help not just with COVID-19, but also with other dangerous diseases such as influenza and measles.
The Maldives has seen tremendous success in the control of COVID-19 infections in the country and vaccination roll-outs. As such, the State of Public Health Emergency imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic was lifted last month, two years after the emergency was announced following the detection of the first case of COVID-19 in the Maldives in March 2020. All restrictions imposed due to COVID-19 have also been removed with the lifting of the public health emergency.