Minister of Health Abdullah Nazim Ibrahim has emphasised the importance of monitoring children’s development beyond the age of two.
The Ministry of Health on Wednesday launched a Developmental Milestone Tracking Form to identify growth challenges and developmental delays in children, facilitating early intervention and treatment.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, the Minister noted that monitoring children’s development beyond the age of two is currently low. He stressed the need to continue tracking it to maintain existing achievements. He further noted that the Ministry’s Growth Monitoring Programme has now been digitalised to allow parents to easily track their children’s growth and development up to five years via phone.
Health service providers across the Maldives will maintain this form and have undergone training to use it effectively. From 2027, the form is required to be filled for all children starting school, in order to help professionals provide better care, and to enable parents to identify any development challenges.