After one and half years the WHO declared the Maldives as a country that has eradicated measles, a suspected case of measles is discerned. The government hospital IGMH’s pediatrician Dr. Faisal brought the case to the attention of public. The Maldives as a measles eliminated country was officially declared in 2017.
Dr. Faisal said that after one and half years of elimination, it re-emerged in the Maldives and urged parents to be cautious about it.
Dr. Faisal said that even if by disremembering children are not vaccinated, it is essential to rush for vaccination. While not being vaccinated if a child gets a disease that can be immunized, there will be nothing much that can be done in the Maldives. The disease re-emerged this year.
The only means to control the disease is to get Measles MMR and MMR, 2 dose of each vaccine.
A person affected by measles carries the virus and even if he/she leaves the place the virus will be there for one hour and everyone that comes to the place will get affected.
Dr. Faisal brought the issue to the attention of the public sharing a news on BBC stating that according to WHO more than 6000 children had died in Congo being affected by measles.
The disease measles that kill 134,000 people every year from various corners of the world, the Maldives was awarded for eliminating the disease in September 2017.
It was declared the Maldives as a measles eliminated country in June 2019. WHO declared it because there was no outbreak of it in the Maldives and since 2009 there was no sign of the disease in the Maldives.
Measles is a vaccine preventable disease. The vaccination for the disease was instigated in the Maldives in the year 1979.
The signs and symptoms of the disease appears after 10 days of getting affected. The signs and symptoms of the disease are; ear infection, pneumonia, lung injection, affect on brain, blindness, prolonged diarrhoea.
Former Minister of Health receiving measles eliminated award
