Maldives Meets Criteria for Leprosy-Free Status

MV+ News Desk | October 17, 2023

The Maldives has met the requirements to be officially recognised as a leprosy-free nation by ensuring that 100 of its islands are completely rid of leprosy.

The Maldives Health Ministry has reported that 178 islands in the country have now qualified to be designated as leprosy-free islands. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) played a crucial role in conducting screenings for leprosy in rural areas to meet the necessary criteria for being designated as a leprosy-free country.

The Ministry of Health has affirmed that they have completed the internal and external verifications in line with the goals set forth in the Zero Leprosy Framework, developed with the guidance of the World Health Organization (WHO).

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Health held discussions with an expert team from WHO, reviewing progress, verification findings, and the accomplishments related to the Zero Leprosy Framework. The team also provided guidance on the next steps and future endeavors in this regard.

Efforts to identify leprosy-free islands involved comprehensive leprosy detection and public screenings. Additionally, the process included internal and external verification assessments conducted by an international team of experts, who worked to train health workers and transform their approach to leprosy treatment and attitudes towards the disease. The initiative to declare Maldives a “zero leprosy” country was originally launched earlier. However, due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the work was temporarily halted.

Leprosy was a major health issue in the Maldives until 1982 when the introduction of leprosy medications and structured treatment led to a significant decrease in the number of cases. In 1997, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared leprosy no longer a public health threat, prompting the Maldives government to initiate a national campaign for leprosy eradication.

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