International Relations
India Helps Maldives Tackle Measles
- 24 Jan 2020
- 2 min read
Why in News
India has helped the Maldives in tackling measles outbreak by providing over 30,000 doses of Measles and Rubella (MR) vaccine.
- The outbreak comes less than three years after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the Maldives measles-free in 2017.
- The Maldives presented a certificate of appreciation to the Government of India for the “gesture of goodwill and solidarity”.
Key Points
- It is an important step towards strengthening India-Maldives relations.
- Both the countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Health cooperation in June 2019.
- The MoU draws a roadmap for cooperation in capacity building and training of doctors and medical professionals, disease surveillance, training of mental health professionals, setting up of digital health capacities in the Maldives.
- India is also helping the Maldives in building a 100-bed Cancer Hospital in Hulhumale as part of its $800 million Line of Credit.
- Both India and the Maldives are the members of the WHO’s Regional Committee for South-East Asia.
Measles
- It is a highly contagious viral disease and is a cause of death among young children globally.
- It can cause serious complications, including blindness, encephalitis, severe diarrhoea, ear infection and pneumonia.
Rubella
- It is also called German Measles.
- Rubella is a contagious, generally mild viral infection that occurs most often in children and young adults.
- Rubella infection in pregnant women may cause fetal death or congenital defects known as Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS). CRS causes irreversible birth defects.
Measles and Rubella Vaccine
- Measles and Rubella are caused by different viruses but share more or less the same symptoms, including the red rashes.
- The Measles & Rubella Initiative, a global program, aims at eliminating both these diseases.
- The vaccine for the diseases are provided in the form of Measles-Rubella (MR), Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR), or Measles-Mumps-Rubella-Varicella (MMRV) combination.
