President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has, this morning, inaugurated the Maldives' Measles and Rubella Vaccination Campaign.

The campaign was inaugurated with the presentation of vaccination cards, by the President, to the two employees at the President’s Office who were vaccinated. Employees from the State Electric Company Private Limited and students at Dharumavantha School were also vaccinated to mark the commencement of the campaign.

Speaking at the function, Minister of Health, Hon. Abdulla Ibrahim Nazim stated that 11 countries in the South Asia Region have set the goal of eliminating measles by the year 2020 and that with the vaccination campaign inaugurated today Maldives will become the first country to achieve the target within 2017. Additionally, the Minister appealed to the public to fulfil their societal duties in contributing to the vaccination campaign.

Arrangements have been made for those requiring vaccination to have easy access via stations established throughout the Maldives. Vaccinations will be provided in 11 stations in Malé alone. People aged between 15 to 25 are targeted for vaccination within the next two weeks.

The Resident Representative of the World Health Organization to Maldives, Dr. Arvind Mathur and various Government officials also attended the inauguration.