World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative to the Maldives, Dr. Arvind Mathur says that Maldives has played an exemplary and important role in the region through its numerous achievements in the health sector.
Speaking on Talk Maldives TV programme, aired on PSM News, the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative commended the people and government of Maldives for the continuous quest to eradicate communicable diseases. The WHO Country Representative noted that Maldives as a country has played a very meaningful role in the region, setting out exemplary commitment of authorities and people alike in eradicating filariasis, malaria, polio and other such diseases.
"It is actually, the reason why I compliment the people and given credit to generations of policy makers, the health workers, you know like all the partners who have really worked on the elimination because these diseases were eliminated not only by technology but by the commitment of people. You know like today we can say that Maldives is a malaria free country. Which is such a huge achievement. I mean look at it that a tourist does not have to worry about malaria or filaria when travelling to Maldives. These are mosquito borne diseases. On the other side it was a high coverage of immunization that has resulted into making Maldives free of polio, several years back. Before even the region could achieve the polio free status. I think it is the robustness of the health system, it is the commitment of generations of leaders, and several thousands of health workers who made sure despite the geography of the country, which is such a big challenge, that they have made sure that these interventions are put in place, and they have been able to get that elimination status," he told the programme.
Speaking on the programme, Dr. Arvind Mathur highlighted the measures which could be taken to maintain the elimination status of communicable diseases. Dr. Mathur noted that travel and tourism brings vulnerability of any possibility of importation of diseases. He said this is where authorities need to be prepared to addressing challenges of importation and referred to the health authorities post elimination plan which address importation and maintaining immunization against communicable diseases. He said that laboratory and other facilities in the country are also well equipped and urged authorities to maintain this standing.
Speaking about the country's effort to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the WHO Representative to Maldives said that there are many challenges such as increase in non-communicable diseases and added that SDGs are both a target and an opportunity.
"The sustainable development goal when we look at it sectorally, it is SDG 3, which is health. But to us health is in so many ways, in every SDG that we are talking about. And WHO is for that matter is working again, number one advocating with ministry of health and other ministries, because we have been saying health beyond health sector, we have been looking into transforming health systems, so that we can address the issues and health challenges of tomorrow," Dr. Mathur said.
Dr. Mathur said WHO will continue to work to overcome the challenges, through multi-sectoral collaboration, assist in data collection, maintaining elimination status and providing technical vocational. He added all the efforts will focus on the achievement of SDGs, and further developing Maldivian health sector as a whole and noted there is a special ministerial task force which is working towards achieving the goals.