The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recognised the Maldives as a country that has controlled Hepatitis B. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) made the announcement on social media.
In a post on X, the HPA stated that the recognition is attributed to the sustained efforts in childhood Hepatitis B vaccination spanning several years and the recent survey conducted by the HPA. The survey, which involved testing children between the ages six and seven in schools, revealed no instances of Hepatitis B infection among them.
Additionally, the HPA highlighted that effective measures, including screening pregnant women for Hepatitis B, providing treatment for positive cases, and safeguarding newborns from infected mothers, have successfully brought Hepatitis B under control in the Maldives.
Hepatitis B is a viral infection affecting the liver and can lead to serious conditions such as liver cancer.