The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has decided to conduct a screening programme in regions with a high concentration of expatriates, following the identification of multiple filariasis cases.
A similar screening initiative had been conducted in the Greater Male' Region, following the discovery of 25 positive cases in Kulhudhuffushi City. The confirmation of a positive case in Hulhumale' prompted the HPA to extend the screening to various parts of the country.
Speaking to PSM News, Public Health Coordinator at HPA Mohamed Hamzath revealed that ongoing screening is underway in Kulhudhuffushi. He said that inspection of areas with a significant expatriate population in the Greater Male' Region is in progress, along with efforts to identify islands with a high expatriate concentration in the atolls. He also said that screening is slated for areas with increased waste risk and islands with mosquito breeding grounds.
The HPA stated that the expansion of screening measures is to prevent the further spread of the disease. The agency is actively procuring more test kits in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO). Public awareness campaigns are being conducted to reduce the risk of disease spread. The emergence of the disease among expatriates has prompted information dissemination in multiple languages nationwide.
Filariasis is a parasitic infectious disease caused by filarial worms that are transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes. These parasites mainly affect the lymphatic system and can cause a range of symptoms, including severe swelling of limbs, fever, and pain.
In 1951, a survey conducted with the technical assistance of the WHO, found filariasis in 34 islands in the Maldives. The national effort to control filariasis in the Maldives was launched in 1968 and the disease was eradicated in 2007. The WHO certified the Maldives to have eliminated the disease as a public health problem in 2016.