Public Health

Sri Lanka dengue outbreak leaves 225 dead

by Public Health Update
written by Public Health Update
Sri Lanka is suffering its worst-ever dengue outbreak, with the mosquito-borne virus killing 225 people and infecting more than 76,000 this year. Alarmed by the magnitude of the crisis, the government deployed 400 soldiers and police officers on Tuesday to clear away rotting garbage, stagnant water pools and other potential mosquito-breeding grounds.The number of infections nationwide is already 38 per cent higher than last year, when 55,150 people were diagnosed with dengue and 97 died, according to the Health Ministry. The highest number of cases is in the region around the main city of Colombo, though cases were being reported across the tropical island nation.

In Colombo alone, 25 teams of soldiers, police officers and public health inspectors were knocking on doors at people’s homes, advising them to clear clogged drains and empty outdoor pots that might have filled with rainwater. Health officials were also fumigating public spaces.

dengue fever



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Public Health

Joint United Nations statement on ending discrimination in health care settings

by Public Health Update
written by Public Health Update
Joint United Nations statement on ending discrimination in health care settings

Joint WHO/UN statement 



27 June 2017

United Nations entities recall that a central principle of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to “ensure that no one is left behind” and to “reach the furthest behind first”. Recognizing that discrimination in health care settings is a major barrier to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), United Nations entities commit to working together to support Member States in taking coordinated multisectoral action to eliminate discrimination in health care settings.

Discrimination in health care settings is widespread across the world and takes many forms. It violates the most fundamental human rights protected in international treaties and in national laws and constitutions.

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Discrimination in health care settings is directed towards some of the most marginalized and stigmatized populations – the very populations that States promised to prioritize through the 2030 Agenda, and who are all too often excluded or left behind. Many individuals and groups face discrimination on the basis of their age, sex, race or ethnicity, health status, disability or vulnerability to ill health, sexual orientation or gender identity, nationality, asylum or migration status, or criminal record, often experiencing intersecting or compounding forms of discrimination.


Discrimination affects both users of health care services and health care workers. It serves as a barrier to accessing health services, affects the quality of health services provided, and reinforces exclusion from society for both individuals and groups.
Discrimination in health care settings takes many forms and is often manifested when an individual or group is denied access to health care services that are otherwise available to others. It can also occur through denial of services that are only needed by certain groups, such as women. Examples include specific individuals or groups being subjected to physical and verbal abuse or violence; involuntary treatment; breaches of confidentiality and/or denial of autonomous decision-making, such as the requirement of consent to treatment by parents, spouses or guardians; and lack of free and informed consent.
It is also present in the entrenched gender-based discrimination within the largely female health workforce, as evidenced by physical and sexual violence, wage gaps, irregular salaries, lack of formal employment, and inability to participate in leadership and decision-making.
National laws, policies and practices can also foster and perpetuate discrimination in health care settings, prohibiting or discouraging people from seeking the broad range of health care services they may need. Some laws run counter to established public health evidence and human rights standards. Evidence demonstrates the harmful health and human rights impacts of such laws.
Addressing discrimination in health care settings will contribute to the achievement of many of the SDGs, ensuring that no one is left behind. It is fundamental to securing progress towards SDG 3, Good health and well being, including achieving universal health coverage and ending the AIDS and tuberculosis epidemics; SDG 4, Quality education; SDG 5, Gender equality and women’s empowerment; SDG 8, Decent work and inclusive economic growth; SDG 10, Reduced inequalities; and SDG 16, Peace, justice and strong institutions.
States have an immediate legal obligation to address discrimination. While States bear this primary duty, a multistakeholder and multisectoral response, including a coordinated effort from the United Nations system, is urgently required. Together we must end discrimination in health care settings.


We, the signatory United Nations entities, call upon all stakeholders to join us in committing to taking targeted, coordinated, time-bound, multisectoral actions in the following areas.
Supporting States to put in place guarantees against discrimination in law, policies, and regulations by:
  • Reviewing and strengthening laws to prohibit discrimination in the provision and distribution of health care services, as well as in relation to education and employment in the health sector. Laws and policies must respect the principles of autonomy in health care decision-making; guarantee free and informed consent, privacy and confidentiality; prohibit mandatory HIV testing; prohibit screening procedures that are not of benefit to the individual or the public; and ban involuntary treatment and mandatory third-party authorization and notification requirements. All stakeholders should support the clear dissemination, implementation, and monitoring of adherence to such laws and regulations and their translation into policies and practice.
  • Reviewing and repealing punitive laws that have been proven to have negative health outcomes and that counter established public health evidence. These include laws that criminalize or otherwise prohibit gender expression, same sex conduct, adultery and other sexual behaviours between consenting adults; adult consensual sex work; drug use or possession of drugs for personal use; sexual and reproductive health care services, including information; and overly broad criminalization of HIV non-disclosure, exposure or transmission.
  • Reviewing, strengthening, implementing and monitoring health professional policies, regulations, standards, working conditions and ethics, for the prohibition of discrimination on all grounds in connection to health care settings.
Supporting measures to empower health workers and users of health services through attention to and realization of their rights, roles and responsibilities by:
  • Ensuring that the labour rights and standards of health workers, including in the area of occupational safety and health, are fully respected, protected, and fulfilled, and that health workers are free from discrimina
    tion and violence in the workplace. Particular attention should be paid to the gendered nature of the health workforce, including through ensuring gender-sensitive sectoral and facility-level policies and health professional regulations operationalizing decent work, gender equality, and formal employment of the health workforce. Health workers should be supported in upholding their legal and ethical responsibilities, including with respect to advancing human rights, and their role as human rights defenders should be protected.
  • Providing pre-service and in-service education to the health workforce on their rights, roles, and responsibilities related to addressing discrimination in health care settings. Policies, programmes and budgets need to provide for a diverse workforce, including through strengthening educational admission criteria and promoting health workforce educational and career development opportunities for women, youth and persons from rural and marginalized communities.
  • Empowering users of health care services so that they are aware of and able to demand their rights. This will enable them to hold those responsible accountable for discrimination-free health care settings through rights literacy, patient charters, social accountability monitoring, community support, and other tools.



Supporting accountability and compliance with the principle of non-discrimination in health care settings by:
  • Guaranteeing access to effective mechanisms of redress and accountability. This involves development and implementation of individual, tailor-made remedies and redress procedures for victims of violation, and constructive systems of accountability in health and other sectors to prevent future violations.
  • Strengthening mechanisms for reporting, monitoring and evaluation of discrimination. This can be achieved through support for the building and sharing of the evidence base and ensuring the participation of affected communities and health workers in the development of health policies.
Implementing the United Nations Shared Framework for Action on Combating Inequalities and Discrimination by:
  • Providing sector-specific and joint guidance and practical tools to raise awareness of human rights standards for non-discrimination as they apply to health care settings.



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International Plan, Policy & GuidelinesPublic Health

WHO Guidelines on Ethical Issues in Public Health Surveillance

by Public Health Update
written by Public Health Update




The WHO Guidelines on Ethical Issues in Public Health Surveillance is the first international framework of its kind, it fills an important gap. The goal of the guideline development project was to help policymakers and practitioners navigate the ethical issues presented by public health surveillance. This document outlines 17 ethical guidelines that can assist everyone involved in public health surveillance, including officials in government agencies, health workers, NGOs and the private sector. 

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Surveillance, when conducted ethically, is the foundation for programs to promote human well-being at the population level. It can contribute to reducing inequalities: pockets of suffering that are unfair, unjust and preventable cannot be addressed if they are not first made visible. But surveillance is not without risks for participants and sometimes poses ethical dilemmas. Issues about privacy, autonomy, equity, and the common good need to be considered and balanced, and knowing how to do so can be challenging in practice.
17 ethical guidelines



  1. Guideline 1. Countries have an obligation to develop appropriate, feasible, sustainable public health surveillance systems. Surveillance systems should have a clear purpose and a plan for data collection, analysis, use and dissemination based on relevant public health priorities.
  2. Guideline 2. Countries have an obligation to develop appropriate, effective mechanisms to ensure ethical surveillance.
  3. Guideline 3. Surveillance data should be collected only for a legitimate public health purpose.
  4. Guideline 4. Countries have an obligation to ensure that the data collected are of sufficient quality, including being timely, reliable and valid, to achieve public health goals.
  5. Guideline 5. Planning for public health surveillance should be guided by transparent governmental priority-setting. 
  6. Guideline 6. The global community has an obligation to support countries that lack adequate resources to undertake surveillance.
  7. Guideline 7. The values and concerns of communities should be taken into account in planning, implementing and using data from surveillance.
  8. Guideline 8. Those responsible for surveillance should identify, evaluate, minimize and disclose risks for harm before surveillance is conducted. Monitoring for harm should be continuous, and, when any is identified, appropriate action should be taken to mitigate it.
  9. Guideline 9. Surveillance of individuals or groups who are particularly susceptible to disease, harm or injustice is critical and demands careful scrutiny to avoid the imposition of unnecessary additional burdens.
  10. Guideline 10. Governments and others who hold surveillance data must ensure that identifiable data are appropriately secured.
  11. Guideline 11. Under certain circumstances, the collection of names or identifiable data is justified. 
  12. Guideline 12. Individuals have an obligation to contribute to surveillance when reliable, valid, complete data sets are required and relevant protection is in place. Under these circumstances, informed consent is not ethically required.
  13. Guideline 13. Results of surveillance must be effectively communicated to relevant target audiences.
  14. Guideline 14. With appropriate safeguards and justification, those responsible for public health surveillance have an obligation to share data with other national and international public health agencies.
  15. Guideline 15. During a public health emergency, it is imperative that all parties involved in surveillance share data in a timely fashion. 
  16. Guideline 16. With appropriate justification and safeguards, public health agencies may use or share surveillance data for research purposes. 
  17. Guideline 17. Personally identifiable surveillance data should not be shared with agencies that are likely to use them to take action against individuals or for uses unrelated to public health. 

Source of info :WHO

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PH Important DayPublic Health

International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Tracking 2017!! Listen First – Listening to children and youth is the 1st step to help them grow healthy and safe

by Public Health Update
written by Public Health Update
The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is a United Nations International Day against drug abuse and the illegal drug trade. It is observed annually on 26 June. 

Poster

By resolution 42/112 of 7 December 1987, the General Assembly decided to observe 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse. This resolution recommended further action with regard to the report and conclusions of the 1987 International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

2017 Theme — Listen First
The 2017 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Tracking was observed on 26 June 2017. The day was observed with the theme Listen First – Listening to children and youth is the rst step to help them grow healthy and safe.The theme for the year is an initiative to increase support for prevention of drug use that is based on science and is thus an elective investment in the well-being of children and youth, their families and their communities. 




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International Plan, Policy & GuidelinesPublic Health

WHO Framework on integrated people-centred health services

by Public Health Update
written by Public Health Update




WHO Framework on integrated people-centred health services
Integrated people-centred health services means putting the comprehensive needs of people and communities, not only diseases, at the centre of health systems, and empowering people to have a more active role in their own health.


Report of the High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth
Working for health and growth: investing in the health workforce

cover


The High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth was established by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in March 2016. Its task: to make recommendations to stimulate and guide the creation of at least 40 million new jobs in the health and social sectors, and to reduce the projected shortfall of 18 million health workers, primarily in low- and lower-middle-income countries, by 2030. Six months of intensive work and productive discussions, first among the Expert Group and then among the Commissioners, facilitated by ILO, OECD and WHO, have led to this report, which presents the case for more and better investment in the health workforce.


Recommendations of the Commission

The Commission makes ten recommendations that should be read in the context of efforts to strengthen health and social protection systems as well as broader initiatives to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to meet the targets of the SDGs.

Recommendations to transform the health workforce for the SDGs

job

Job creation

Stimulate investments in creating decent health sector jobs, particularly for women and youth, with the right skills, in the right numbers and in the right places.
gender

Gender equality and rights

Maximize women’s economic participation and foster their empowerment through institutionalizing their leadership, addressing gender biases and inequities in education and the health labour market, and tackling gender concerns in health reform processes.
education 1

Educations, training and competencies

Scale up transformative, high-quality education and lifelong learning so that all health workers have skills that match the health needs of populations and can work to their full potential
org1

Health service delivery and organization

Reform service models concentrated on hospital care and focus instead on prevention and on the efficient provision of high-quality, affordable, integrated, community-based, people-centred primary and ambulatory care, paying special attention to underserved areas
tech1

Technology

Harness the power of cost-effective information and communication technologies to enhance health education, people-centred health services and health information systems.

crises

Crises and humanitarian settings

Ensure investment in the International Health Regulations core capacities, including skills development of national and international health workers in humanitarian settings and public health emergencies, both acute and protracted. Ensure the protection and security of all health workers and health facilities in all settings.

Recommendations to enable change

finacing

Financing and fiscal space

Raise adequate funding from domestic and international sources, public and private where appropriate, and consider broad-based health financing reform where needed, to invest in the right skills, decent working conditions and an appropriate number of health workers.

partnership cooperation

Partnership and cooperation

Promote intersectoral collaboration at national, regional and international levels; engage civil society, unions and other health workers’ organizations and the private sector; and align international cooperation to support investments in the health workforce, as part of national health and education strategies and plans.
migration

International Migration

Advance international recognition of health workers’ qualifications to optimize skills use, increase the benefits from and reduce the negative effects of health worker migration, and safeguard migrants’ rights.
data

Data, Information and Accountability

Undertake robust research and analysis of health labour markets, using harmonized metrics and methodologies, to strengthen evidence, accountability and action.
The Commission calls for urgent action to develop labour market policies to foster the demand for a sustainable health workforce. Government policies are needed to address the systemic issues that result in significant health labour market and public failures.
As the health sector is a growing employer of women, it can greatly contribute to gender equality. Today women are the main providers of care, including in humanitarian crises and conflict settings. Yet gender biases, physical and sexual violence and harassment remain important challenges for health workers.
All countries can do more to prioritize investments in education. Education models should shift away from narrow specializations to focus on lifelong building of locally relevant competencies. Generally, there is a need to relax unnecessary barriers to entry. Addressing geographical inequities is a priority and demographic transitions present opportunities to strengthen youth education for employment in the health sector. Evidence reinforces the effectiveness of community-based health workers, including health professionals as well as other cadres.
Health systems organized around clinical specialities and hospitals will need to shift towards prevention and primary care. There is no prescription for a perfect mix of public and private health-care provision. Governments should adopt policies that cover
the performance of the whole sector. Social business models are emerging as a private-sector, socially oriented solution to serve the unserved. Public policies and regulatory bodies must protect the interests of the public and ensure that professional interests do not dominate.
Rapidly changing technologies are already changing the nature of health services. New cadres of health workers are emerging, enabled by information and communication technologies. Digital technologies also provide opportunities to enhance people’s access to health services, improve the responsiveness of health systems to the needs of individuals and communities, and improve the delivery of a wide range of health services.
Each country should build the capacity of its health workforce and health systems to detect and respond to public health risks and emergencies. In fragile and conflict settings, public health crises also exacerbate countries’ existing shortcomings for providing basic health and social care to their citizens. Furthermore, health workers and facilities have become deliberate targets in conflict settings.
Most countries can secure sustainable health financing, assuming continuing growth in public revenue, with necessary priority to the health workforce. Societal dialogue and political commitment are critical to drive appropriate macroeconomic reforms and health financing policies. Public policies can also attract co-investments by the private sector. But there is likely to be insufficient market demand to create jobs to achieve the SDGs in low-income and fragile countries. The Commission believes collective action on financing should be taken in those countries.
Achieving a fit-for-purpose health workforce requires actions across all sectors involved with the health labour market. These intersectoral processes must engage public and private sectors, civil society, trade unions, health worker associations, nongovernmental organizations, regulatory bodies and training institutions. The Commission believes the role of official development assistance can help operationalize the SDGs and supports national and international accountability mechanisms.
Demand in high- and middle-income countries is likely to continue to drive health worker migration in the years ahead. The Commission recognizes that the international mobility of health workers may bring numerous benefits to source and destination nations and health workers themselves. However, the adverse effects of migration must be mitigated. An updated broader international agreement on health workforce should include provisions to maximize mutuality of benefit.
Institutional capacity to analyse data is needed for labour market analysis and research. The strength of the data architecture depends on the active engag
ement of communities, health workers, employers, training institutions, and professional and regulatory bodies. ILO, OECD and WHO have a key role to play in establishing a set of harmonized metrics to transparently monitor trends of the health labour market.



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PH Important Day

Understand and End Financial Abuse of Older People: A Human Rights Issue – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

by Public Health Update
written by Public Health Update
The United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution 66/127, designated June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. It represents the one day in the year when the whole world voices its opposition to the abuse and suffering inflicted to some of our older generations 

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“Understand and End Financial Abuse of Older People: A Human Rights Issue”



The 2017 theme underscores the importance of preventing financial exploitation in the context of elder abuse to the enjoyment of older persons’ human rights. In line with the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, older people have the right to a life of dignity in old age, free of all forms of abuse, including financial and material exploitation, which could lead to poverty, hunger, homelessness, compromised health and well-being, and even premature mortality.


Abuse of older people on the rise – 1 in 6 affected

14 JUNE 2017 | GENEVA – Around 1 in 6 older people experience some form of abuse, a figure higher than previously estimated and predicted to rise as populations age worldwide.
A new study, supported by WHO and published in the Lancet Global Health, has found that almost 16% of people aged 60 years and older were subjected to either psychological abuse (11.6%), financial abuse (6.8%), neglect (4.2%), physical abuse (2.6%) or sexual abuse (0.9%). The research draws on the best available evidence from 52 studies in 28 countries from different regions, including 12 low- and middle-income countries.
“The abuse of older people is on the rise; for the 141 million older people worldwide this has serious individual and societal costs,” says Alana Officer, Senior Health Adviser, Department of Ageing and Life Course at WHO. “We must do much more to prevent and respond to the increasing frequency of different forms of abuse.”
Elder abuse and health
Awareness about elder abuse, still largely a taboo topic, has started to increase across the world. It is defined as actions or lack of appropriate action which can cause harm or distress to an older person, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust. All types of elder abuse can have an impact on the health and wellbeing of the older person.


Psychological abuse is the most pervasive and includes behaviours that harm an older person’s self-worth or wellbeing such as name calling, scaring, embarrassing, destroying property or preventing them from seeing friends and family.
Financial abuse includes illegally misusing an older person’s money, property or assets. Neglect includes the failure to meet an older person’s basic needs, such as food, housing, clothing and medical care.
Health effects of abuse include traumatic injury and pain, as well as depression, stress and anxiety. Elder abuse can lead to an increased risk of nursing home placement, use of emergency services, hospitalization and death.


“Despite the frequency and the serious health consequences, elder abuse remains one of the least investigated types of violence in national surveys, and one of the least addressed in national plans to prevent violence,” Ms Officer adds.

By 2050 the number of people aged 60 and over will double to reach 2 billion globally, with the vast majority of older people living in low- and middle-income countries. If the proportion of elder abuse victims remains constant, the number of people affected will increase rapidly due to population ageing, growing to 320 million victims by 2050.

“Elder abuse is rarely discussed in policy circles, less prioritized for research and addressed by only a handful of organizations,” notes Dr Etienne Krug, Director of the WHO Department for the Management of Noncommunicable Diseases, Disability, Violence and Injury Prevention. “Governments must protect all people from violence. We must work to shed light on this important societal challenge, understand how best to prevent it, and help put in place the measures needed.”



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National Plan, Policy & GuidelinesPublic Health NotesReportsResearch & Publication

Annual Report Department of Health Services 2072/73 (2015/2016)

by Public Health Update
written by Public Health Update
Annual Report Department of Health Services 2072/73 (2015/2016)

The Annual report of the Department of Health Services (DoHS) for fiscal year 2072/73 (2015/2016) is the twenty-second consecutive report of its kind. This report focuses on the objectives, targets and strategies adopted by Nepal’s health programmes and analyses their major achievements and highlights trends in service coverage over three fiscal years.


This report also identifies issues, problems and constraints and suggests actions to be taken by health institutions for further improvements.

DoHS Annual Report 2072 731

 



 

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Annual Report of DoHS 2069/2070 (2012-2013)
Annual Report of the Department of Health Services(DoHS) – 2071/72 (2014/2015)

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National Plan, Policy & GuidelinesPublic HealthResearch & Publication

National Blood Transfusion Policy-2071

by Public Health Update
written by Public Health Update
images
Nepal Government endorsed the National Blood Transfusion Policy -2071 from the Decision of 2071/4/23. In Past, The National Blood Policy was formulated and implemented in 2050 BS (1993 )and revised in 2063 BS (2006), you can Download this Policy from Website of Ministry of Health And Population or  Direct Download from Here;





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PH Important DayPublic Health

What can you do? Give blood. Give now. Give often – World Blood Donor Day, 14 June 2017

by Public Health Update
written by Public Health Update
What can you do? Give blood. Give now. Give often – World Blood Donor Day, 14 June 2017

Every year, on 14 June, countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day (WBDD). The event serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.


14 June World Blood Donor Day


Blood is an important resource, both for planned treatments and urgent interventions. It can help patients suffering from life-threatening conditions live longer and with a higher quality of life, and supports complex medical and surgical procedures. Blood is also vital for treating the wounded during emergencies of all kinds (natural disasters, accidents, armed conflicts, etc.) and has an essential, life-saving role in maternal and perinatal care.
banner en


A blood service that gives patients access to safe blood and blood products in sufficient quantity is a key component of an effective health system. Ensuring safe and sufficient blood supplies requires the development of a nationally coordinated blood transfusion service based on voluntary non-remunerated blood donations. However, in many countries, blood services face the challenge of making sufficient blood available, while also ensuring its quality and safety.
Focus of this year’s campaign


The lives and health of millions of people are affected by emergencies every year. In the last decade, disasters have caused more than 1 million deaths, with more than 250 million people being affected by emergencies every year. Natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and storms create considerable needs for emergency health care, while at the same time, often destroying vital health facilities as well. Man-made disasters such as road accidents and armed conflicts also generate substantial health care demands and the need for front-line treatment.

Blood transfusion is an essential component of emergency health care. Emergencies increase the demand for blood transfusion and make its delivery challenging and complex. Adequate supply of blood during emergencies requires a well-organized blood service, and this can only be ensured by engaging the entire community and a blood donor population committed to voluntary unpaid blood donation throughout the year.
Slogan: What can you do? Give blood. Give now. Give often

This year’s campaign will focus on blood donation in emergencies. In crisis or emergency situation, the natural human response is “What can I do? How can I help?”. Therefore, the slogan for the 2017 campaign is: What can you do?, with the secondary message: Give blood. Give now. Give often.



The campaign underlines the role every single person can play in helping others in emergency situations, by giving the valuable gift of blood. It also focuses on the fact that it is important to give blood regularly, so that the blood stock is sufficient before an emergency arises.
The objectives of this year’s campaign
  • to encourage all people to strengthen the emergency preparedness of health services in their community by donating blood;

  • to engage authorities in the establishment of effective national blood donor programmes with the capacity to respond promptly to the increase in blood demand during emergencies;
  • to promote the inclusion of blood transfusion services in national emergency preparedness and response activities;
  • to build wider public awareness of the need for committed, year-round blood donation, in order to maintain adequate supplies and achieve a national self-sufficiency of blood;
  • to celebrate and thank individuals who donate blood regularly and to encourage young people to become new donors as well;
  • to promote international collaboration and to ensure worldwide dissemination of and consensus on the principles of voluntary non-remunerated donation, while increasing blood safety and availability.



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Global Health NewsPublic HealthPublic Health News

Bhutan, Maldives eliminate measles

by Public Health Update
written by Public Health Update
Bhutan, Maldives eliminate measles

SEAR/PR/1651
New Delhi, 13 June, 2017: 
Bhutan and Maldives have eliminated measles, a highly infectious disease that is a major childhood killer globally. The two countries have become the first in WHO South-East Asia Region to be verified for having interrupted endemic measles virus transmission, ahead of the 2020 Regional target.



“Bhutan and Maldives have demonstrated how a highly contagious virus like measles can be eliminated. WHO commends them for this momentous public health achievement,” Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia, said, announcing the findings and conclusions of the WHO South-East Asia Regional Verification Commission for Measles Elimination and Rubella control.



The Regional Director said, “The strongest political commitment, alongside the concerted efforts of health workers, officials and partners at all levels, has helped achieve this landmark success, which is a boost to the Region’s effort to eliminate measles and control rubella”.
Bhutan and Maldives launched their Expanded Program on Immunization in 1979 and 1976 respectively, and since then worked indefatigably to increase access to immunization services.


“Both countries achieved and maintained high coverage of measles vaccination, despite geographical challenges. They also established strong laboratory-supported surveillance for measles, and have conducted detailed case investigation and tracking, right up to the very last case,” Dr Khetrapal Singh said.
Maldives has not reported any case of indigenous measles since 2009, and Bhutan since 2012.
To fortify their progress, both countries have been carrying out mass vaccination campaigns with measles and rubella vaccine covering high-risk populations.
“While endemic measles virus transmission has been interrupted, both Bhutan and Maldives continue to be at risk of measles virus importation. Hence, both countries must continue efforts against measles and rubella and protect high-risk populations to effectively deal with any importations,” Dr Khetrapal Singh said.
Measles elimination and rubella control by 2020 has been one of WHO South-East Asia Region’s flagship priority programmes since Dr Khetrapal Singh became Regional Director in February 2014.
An estimated 620000 measles deaths have been averted in 2016 alone following vaccination carried out by Member countries. Nearly 107 million children have been reached with an additional dose of measles vaccine through mass vaccination between 2013 and 2016.
All countries have introduced two doses of measles containing vaccine and have been making focused efforts and progress against measles and rubella. All countries are conducting case-based surveillance for measles and rubella, and Regional surveillance standards have been revised to meet elimination standards. The measles laboratory network has been expanded from 23 laboratories in 2013 to 39 WHO accredited laboratories in 2016.
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“To meet the 2020 measles elimination and rubella control goals, all countries need to make greater efforts to increase measles vaccination coverage through childhood immunization programmes, as nearly 4.7 million children remain unvaccinated against measles in the Region annually,” Dr Khetrapal Singh said.
The overarching goal of universal health coverage and the core Sustainable Development Goal theme of leaving no one behind provide new opportunities to further improve immunization programmes, enhance access to new vaccines, and strengthen health systems to sustain the gains made so far, she said.
The measles elimination and rubella control strategy in WHO South-East Asia Region is based on four key approaches – achieving and maintaining at least 95% vaccination coverage with two doses of measles and rubella vaccine through routine and supplementary immunization; developing and sustaining a sensitive case based surveillance that meets recommended performance indicators; developing and maintaining an accredited measles and rubella laboratory network; and strengthening support and linkages for these strategies.




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