Health Minister Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim received the certification from WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the ongoing 78th WHO South East Asia Regional Committee session in Colombo, as UNICEF reported on 14 October 2025. Tedros said the Maldives demonstrated that with strong political will and sustained investment in maternal and child health, elimination of mother-to-child transmission of these diseases is possible.
The path to achievement rests on more than a decade of commitment and health system reforms. WHO had already validated the country in 2019 for elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis, based on high antenatal care coverage, universal infection testing during pregnancy and engagement by health workers, families and leaders. Between 2019 and 2023, the Maldives reported no new pediatric HIV infections and no cases of congenital syphilis. Building on that foundation, they expanded measures to hepatitis B prevention. Vaccination coverage for the birth dose exceeded 95 percent, and a nationwide school-based survey in 2023 found no hepatitis B infections in first-grade children.
More than 95 percent of pregnant women on the islands received antenatal care that routinely offered testing for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B in the first trimester. All newborns received hepatitis B vaccination within 24 hours of birth, followed by the complete vaccination schedule. The system was supported by health investments of over 10 percent of gross domestic product. The process was guided by a coordinated national framework involving the Ministry of Health, Health Protection Agency, WHO, UNICEF and numerous other partners. The Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital served as the national reference hospital and laboratory, while public and private health facilities ensured care quality. WHO and UNICEF participated directly in the described process.
Sri Lanka and Thailand Achieved Partial Elimination Earlier
Sri Lanka and Thailand had previously achieved double elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. An independent expert panel confirmed that the Maldives and Sri Lanka, after years of very high vaccination coverage, reached the hepatitis B control target. Preliminary WHO estimates for 2024 show the remaining challenge in the region. In South East Asia, more than 23,000 pregnant women had syphilis, with over 8,000 babies born with congenital syphilis. Hepatitis B continued to affect more than 42 million people in the region, while around 25,000 HIV-positive pregnant women needed treatment to prevent transmission to their babies.
Call for Regional Action
The global goal of triple elimination, pursued by WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS and partners through 2030, aims to ensure all countries prevent new infections and give every newborn a healthy start. UNICEF called on all countries in the region on 14 October 2025 to build on this progress so no child is born with HIV, syphilis or hepatitis B. The Maldives plans to further strengthen its system through digital health data integration, additional measures for migrants and improved quality management in laboratories. WHO representative Catharina Boehme called the success evidence of the country's commitment to quality and equitable care across scattered islands, including for migrants.