Maldives Sets World Record in Maternal Health

Becomes first nation to end mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B, says WHO.

By Abdullahi Yusuf

The Maldives has become the first country in the world to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B — a milestone the World Health Organization (WHO) says demonstrates how small nations can achieve major public health breakthroughs.

The validation, announced during WHO’s 78th South-East Asia Regional Committee meeting, follows years of testing, vaccination, and treatment initiatives that have driven transmission rates to near zero. WHO said the Maldives met all three benchmarks for “triple elimination,” a first in global health.

Health officials attribute the success to long-term investment in maternal and child health services and near-universal access to antenatal care. More than 95 percent of pregnant women in the Maldives are screened for all three infections, and almost every newborn receives the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth, according to WHO data.

“This recognition is a collective triumph — proof that determined, coordinated action can protect every child,” said Health Minister Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim.

The WHO first validated the Maldives in 2019 for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. A 2023 national survey later confirmed zero hepatitis B infections among young children, completing what WHO now calls the world’s first “triple elimination.”

Experts say the country’s achievement rests on an unusually strong public-health network for a nation of fewer than half a million people. Despite its scattered islands, the Maldives maintains near-universal immunization coverage and provides free prenatal testing and treatment for residents and migrants alike.

President Mohamed Muizzu called the validation “a proud moment for our nation,” thanking health workers and communities for decades of effort. Social media in the Maldives lit up with congratulations, many hailing the country as proof that size need not limit ambition.

Global health specialists note that maintaining the status will require continuous surveillance and equitable care for remote populations. The WHO has pledged technical support to help the Maldives sustain its progress and share lessons with other nations aiming for elimination.

For WHO, the achievement sets a new benchmark for integrated disease-control programs — and for the Maldives, it marks a defining moment in the country’s path toward universal, preventive health care.

SPONSORED

SPONSORED

SPONSORED