President ratifies Public Health Bill

President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik on Monday ratified the Public Health Bill, which was passed by the Parliament on the 26th sitting of its third session on November 28. The objectives of the Public Health Act include, protect and promote public health, control the risk to public health, promote the control of infectious diseases, prevent the spread of infectious diseases and recognize the role of island councils, atoll councils and city councils in protecting public health. The Act provides for development of mandatory reporting provisions for communicable diseases to ensure that necessary information is collected for public health...

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Posted in: Health / HIV

President appoints Dr Abdul Samad Abdulla as Acting Minister of Health

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Abdul Samad Abdulla has been appointed as the Acting Minister of Health. Samad was appointed the position by the President pending the return of Minister of Health Dr Ahmed Jamsheed Mohamed, who is on an official visit abroad. Samad’s latest appointment follows on from Minister of Environment and Energy Dr Mariyam Shakeela last month being given a dual cabinet role as Acting Minister of Gender, Family and Human Rights. Dr Shakeela has previously told Minivan News that she was confident of being able to effectively perform her duties for both ministries. via Minivan Ne...

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Posted in: Health / HIV

Maldives identifies “first” child HIV infection

Senior health figures have called on the government, NGOs and members of the private sector to help step up attempts to promote AIDS prevention in the country after authorities discovered that a two year-old child had tested HIV positive earlier this year. While accepting that HIV infection rates remained relatively low in the Maldives, Minister of State for Health Lubna Zahir Hussain said that efforts needed to be increased across all sectors of society to tackle attitudes towards high-risk behaviours that allow the virus to be transmitted. Lubna heads the National Drug Agency (NDA). Her comments followed the hosting of a special...

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Posted in: Health / HIV

DNA testing reveals child sex offender

DNA testing has revealed that a 37 year-old man impregnated a 11 year-old girl in the Feydhoo ward of Addu City, police have said, after concluding investigation of a case that prompted shock and public outrage last month. The 11 year-old victim in Seenu Feydhoo gave birth two months prematurely on November 1 after being taken to hospital complaining of stomach pains. The infant died in the early hours of the following morning (November 2). On November 4, police confirmed that a 37 year-old male suspect had been taken into custody in connection to the case. In a press briefing on Thursday, Inspector Hassan Shifau, acting head ...

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