Vice President Uz Hussain Mohamed Latheef has said that thalassemia children are part of our society and should have all the same opportunities as other children without discrimination. He made the remark at the launch of the Thalassemia Prevention and Control Master Plan for the next ten years at Crossroads Maldives this evening.
At the ceremony, the Vice President underscored the urgency and importance of addressing the healthcare needs of thalassemia children. He stressed that blood donation should be a joyous act for everyone, as the blood we donate is the lifeline for these children.
The Vice President said that the problem of unexplained infant deaths suffered by some families in the past have now been identified in the light of science, and the measures to be taken to prevent the diseases have been revealed. He added that Maldives has been working for many years to raise awareness about the importance of family planning to include thalassemia testing.
The Vice President’s speech highlighted the Government's unwavering commitment to assisting children suffering from thalassemia. He emphasised that one of the top priorities of President Dr Muizzu’s Administration, despite the challenges in the system, is to provide the necessary treatment and assistance to these children and has placed great emphasis on making significant progress.
He noted that the Government had started covering bone marrow treatment expenses for children suffering from thalassemia, and aims to provide opportunities for more children. He went on to say that the medicines and consumables needed for thalassemia children are also available in remote areas of the country. Vice President also highlighted that one of the most essential things President Dr Muizzu was talking about even before he came to power was the negligence of the then Government in the health system.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding signed tonight, a hospital dedicated to thalassemia children will be built in line with President Dr Muizzu’s pledge. The Vice President highlighted the importance of this development, as it will significantly improve the healthcare services for thalassemia children.
The Vice President added that due to the country’s geographical dispersion of islands, transportation and commuting are challenging, and people must travel to distant places to diagnose diseases. As such, even if something happens, given the financial situation, the people living in remote islands endure a lot of hardship. He said the Government is arranging for the facility to be conducted in their homelands to end this. The contractors signed an agreement to build the hospital, marking a significant step forward in the fight against thalassemia.
The 10-year master plan for thalassemia control, a comprehensive strategy, was launched by the Vice President. He reiterated the importance of this plan, which encompasses seven central policies. These include strengthening services to improve their quality, raising awareness of thalassemia, working to prevent thalassemia through holistic approaches, maintaining service quality development, developing infrastructure, strengthening human capital development, incorporating services based on innovative technologies and maintaining the service's professionalism. This plan, he emphasised, is a crucial tool in efforts to combat thalassemia.
