President Mohamed Nasheed has today met with World Health Organisation’s Director, Sustainable Development and Healthy Environments Dr Maria Neira.
At the meeting held at the President’s Office this afternoon, discussions were focused on challenges faced by the Maldives in the areas of health, government health policies and areas of WHO assistance to the Maldives.
Speaking at the meeting, President Nasheed said the Maldives has many issues that it needs to address in terms of public health. He said the government wanted to institutionalise public health issues such as vaccination in primary schools and make it part of the everyday life.
He said while incidence communicable diseases were decreasing, number of people suffering from chronic non-communicable diseases was increasing in the Maldives due to lifestyle changes.
The President also highlighted the importance of better water and sewerage management systems for the promotion of public health.
During the meeting, Dr Neira underscored the importance of addressing social and environmental determinants of health in promotion of public health.
Speaking on the links between the environment and health, Dr Neira sought the President’s assistance in bringing public health to the centre of climate change debate, taking the advantage of the President’s authority in international climate debates.
She also assured the President of continued WHO support and assistance to the Maldives in issues related health.
