There is a need to improve efforts to prevent birth defects, State Minister of Health Dr. Mohamed Habeeb says.
He was speaking at a workshop organised by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) titled “Training on Hospital based Birth Defect Surveillance”.
At the workshop, the Health Ministry revealed that most of the birth defects in the country were that of circulatory and the skeletal system. It also revealed that the birth prevalence of birth defects in Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) was between 11.9 and 20.5 per 1,000 live births. It also said nutrition, vitamin deficiency and smoking are top risk factors for congenital diseases.
img:http://s4.psmnews.mv/images/660x400/14687970931622.jpg|State Health Minister Dr. Mohamed Habeen speaking at the Training on Hospital based Birth Defects Surveillance - Photo: Health Ministry
The Ministry also hailed as a “huge success”, measures undertaken to reduce infant mortality in the country, with the infant mortality rate now down to 5 in every 1000 births. According to the Health Ministry, the infant mortality rate 40 years ago stood at 100 per 1000 births. With this record in reducing infant mortality, the Maldives leads the Asia region in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
Speaking at the workshop, World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative to the Maldives Dr. Arvind Mathur hailed health sector developments achieved by the Maldives over the past years.
The two-day workshop held at Paradise Island Resort is attended by health sector professionals from IGMH and ADK Hospital, in addition to regional and atoll hospitals.