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Maldives Becomes First Country to Stop Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV, Hepatitis B and Syphilis
Headline fact
- WHO approval: On 13 October 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially confirmed that Maldives has stopped mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B, while also keeping its earlier success for HIV and syphilis.
- World’s first: This makes the Maldives the first country in the world to fully end transmission of all three diseases from mothers to babies — known as “triple elimination.”
What “triple elimination” means
- Meaning: “Mother-to-child transmission” happens when infections like HIV, hepatitis B, or syphilis pass from a pregnant woman to her baby during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding.
- WHO rules: To get WHO approval, a country must show very low or zero new baby cases, high levels of testing, vaccination, and treatment for many years.
- Long-term work: Even after getting approval, countries must keep checking and improving to make sure no new cases appear again.
How the Maldives achieved it — key program elements
- Pregnancy check-ups: Over 95% of pregnant women in Maldives go for regular health check-ups, where they are tested early for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B.
- Vaccine success: Almost all babies in the Maldives get a hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth and finish all doses later — this prevents infection from passing to the child.
- Free health care: All pregnant women, including migrants and island residents, get free testing, treatment, and vaccines in government hospitals and health centers.
- Timely treatment: If a woman is found positive for HIV or hepatitis B, she immediately receives free medicines to protect her baby. Husbands or partners are also checked and treated.
- Record system: Hospitals and clinics keep complete data on testing and vaccination, and labs regularly send reports to confirm that infections are under control across the islands.
Outcomes and numbers cited by press
- Zero new cases: No babies were born with HIV, hepatitis B, or syphilis in the Maldives during 2022 and 2023, which helped prove elimination.
- School survey: A 2023 survey in schools found no hepatitis B infection among first-grade children — strong evidence that the vaccine program works.
- Regional comparison: In South-East Asia, thousands of women still get these infections during pregnancy every year, showing how big an achievement Maldives has made for the region.
Why this matters
- Proves it’s possible: The Maldives shows that even a small island country can end these diseases with the right planning and political will.
- Model for others: Other nations can follow the Maldives’ plan — combining early testing, full vaccination, and easy-to-reach health services.
- Equal access: The success also shows how free health care and equality help every mother, including migrants and people in remote islands, to get life-saving services.
Challenges to sustain gains
- Keep coverage high: The country must continue testing all pregnant women and vaccinating every newborn.
- Strong supply system: Medical supplies, vaccines, and medicines must always be available on every island.
- Include migrants: Workers and foreigners living in the Maldives must also get free testing and care to avoid new infections.
- Stable funding: The government needs to keep steady financial support to maintain these health programs every year.
Reaction and quotes
- WHO praise: WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called it a “historic milestone”, showing how commitment and care can protect mothers and children.
- Health minister: Maldives Health Minister said this was a moment of national pride, promising to keep the programs strong and inclusive.
- Team effort: The success came from teamwork — the Maldives Government, WHO, health workers, and community volunteers all played a part.
Important Questions
- When did the World Health Organization officially validate the Maldives for triple elimination of HIV, hepatitis B, and syphilis?
- What does the term “triple elimination” mean in the Maldives’ public health achievement?
- Which key health programs helped the Maldives stop mother-to-child transmission of these three infections?
- Why is the Maldives’ success an important example for other countries in the South-East Asia region?
- What main challenges must the Maldives address to maintain elimination of HIV, hepatitis B, and syphilis?
Conclusion
The Maldives’ achievement marks a proud moment for global health, showing that with strong commitment, free healthcare, vaccination, and continuous testing, even a small island nation can protect every baby from deadly infections and inspire the world to follow its path toward a healthier future.
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