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Maldives MDG Goal 4 and 5 indicators: Under-five mortality rate males 38, females 42 per 1,000 live births; Infant mortality rate 18.0 per 1,000 live births; Proportion (%) of 1 year-old children immunized for measles 97; MMR 160 per 100,000 live births; Births by a skilled attendant 70.3%. Data source: Basic Indicators: Health Situation in South-East Asia, World Health Organization, South-East Asia Region, 2004. M aldives is a small island nation with a population in 2000 of approximately 270,101, scattered among 200 islands dispersed over a large geographical area. The country has made considerable advances over the last decades in terms of health status, reflected in increasing life expectancy rates for both sexes and decreasing maternal and infant mortality rates. Life expectancy at birth increased from 63 for women and 64 for men in 1990, to 71 for women and 70 for men in 2003. Providing health services to such a dispersed population is one of the major challenges facing the government. In particular, ensure timely referral for specialist and emergency care posses special difficulties for health planners. The barriers to accessing health care services in the rural islands, such as lack of everyday and regular transport and lack of personnel and facilities, have created significant rural and urban differences. In addition to access to health care, malnutrition remains the other major concern for the health status of mothers, newborns and children. The health policy of the Maldives states that the enjoyment of the highest attainable level of health is a basic right of every citizen. Therefore, the government places great emphasis on the accessibility and affordability of health care services and the health of women and other vulnerable groups. An important part of the long term national efforts to improve maternal and child health, is increasing awareness of the opportunities for practicing family planning. The effects of this effort can be seen in the dramatic decrease in the crude birth rate from 41 per 1000 live births in 1990 to 18 per 1000 in 2003. The government’s expenditure on the health sector has been at around 10% of the national budget in recent years, while the health expenditure per capita has increased from MRF 1124 in 2000 to MRF 1316 in 2003. The increasing involvement of the private sector in health care has yet to be fully integrated into the major strategic national plans of Improving Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in the South-East Asia Region 47 Status of maternal health Maldivian women have enjoyed greater freedom, economic and social empowerment than women in countries with similar cultural and social backgrounds. However, there are social, cultural and geographical factors that disadvantage women and perpetuate gender inequalities within the country, especially in the areas of health, education and economic status. Traditionally men are accorded the top ranks in the social, economic and political hierarchy. Although women’s participation in all sectors is encouraged by the state, society prescribes predominantly domestic and traditional roles for women. Further, societal norms prescribe domestic and child-rearing responsibilities to women and the role of breadwinner to men. Thus, male involvement in all aspects of reproductive health and family planning is low, and the burden of contraception continues to fall on women. Men are also reluctant to help with the domestic responsibilities and child-rearing duties, due to the role of nurturer being believed to be “feminine” work, with social stigmas attached to men who contribute to this. The importance of male involvement in maternal and reproductive health has not been given as much attention as needed until recently. The recent focus on men in information and awareness programmes has resulted in an increasing number of men being actively involved in maternal and child health issues. Despite the tradition culture in relation to social stereotypes, the mean age at marriage for women had increased from 19.1 in 1990 to 21.8 in the year 2000. Meanwhile the live births for the age group Proportions of births Figure 1: Proportion of live births by age of mother Source: National data, 2003 48 Improving Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in the South-East Asia Region 25 – 34 years have increased in the same period, indicating that more women are having children later in life (Figure 1). Maternal mortality however continues be a concern for the Maldives health sector and a priority area for government interventions. Although, the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has been gradually decreasing in recent years, it is still high at 97 per 100,000 live births in 2003. UN MMR estimates for 2000 was 110 per 100, 000 live births. The high MMR can be attributed to the difficulties in providing maternal health services and facilities, due to the geographical constraints and lack of human resources. Figure 2: Maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births, 1997-2003 per 100,000 live births action. Appropriate mechanisms for regulating the private sector and for ensuring protection of the public have still to be worked out. Source: National data, 2003 National data estimate that approximately 84% of births are undertaken by a skilled attendant. The Reproductive Health Survey 2004 indicates that 50% of all births were attended by a gynaecologist, 18% by another doctor and 16% by a nurse with midwifery skills. The high rate of anaemia among pregnant women in the Maldives also compromises maternal health. The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey II 2001, shows that 55% of expectant mothers in the country had some level of anaemia, which includes 31% with mild anaemia, 23% with moderate and 1.4% with severe anaemia. Specific pregnancy-related conditions: There is a high incidence of Thalassemia major in the Maldives. The cumulative total of registered Thalassemia cases has increased from 387 in 1999, to 525 in 2003. Statistics show that the percentage of Thalassemia cases and Thalassemia carriers have decreased in recent years. The number of new cases have also decreased, by almost 50% from 43 in 1999, to 24 in Maldives 2003. From those screened for Thalassemia in 1999, 21.9% were carriers. This rate fell to 18.3% in 2003. However, this is still a significantly high percentage, with almost 1 in every 5 Maldivians being a Thalassemia carrier. The government has recently approved prenatal diagnosis and medical termination of pregnancies of foetuses with Thalassemia major. Thalassemia is one cause of anaemia which may explain the high rate of anaemic pregnant women, although no data exists on the causes of anaemia among pregnant women in the country. Prevalence rate of HIV infection in pregnant women: The AIDS situation in the country is rigorously monitored, and due to screening and awareness efforts, AIDS is considered to be under control in the Maldives. Since 1991 there have been a cumulative total of 13 local HIV positive cases including 9 AIDS cases at the end of 2004. The cumulative total of HIV positive cases among immigrant workers was 123 in 2003, with 13 new cases found during that year (MoH 2004a). Moreover, general public awareness about HIV/AIDS transmission is 99% according to the Reproductive Health Survey in 2004. Family planning and the burden of unsafe abortion Contraceptive methods such as pills and condoms are widely available to married couples, as is education and assistance with decision-making for family planning. Condoms have recently been made available over-the-counter. Other methods such as IUDs are also accessible and used. While the Contraceptive User Rate and the Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) is gradually increasing, it is still very low in the country. The Reproductive Health Survey of 2004 estimates that, among married women aged 15-49, the CPR is 39% for all methods of contraception, including traditional and ‘natural’. CPR for modern methods of contraception is 34%. However, despite the relatively low CPR, an impact on Total Fertility Rate (TFR) can be seen. According to the Country Population Assessment in 2001, there has been a marked decrease in TFR from 5.4% in the period 1990-1995 to 2.8% in the period 19952000. Equally an impact can be seen on adolescent pregnancies. The number of live births for the age group of 15-19 years decreased by around 4% in the Maldives years between 2000 to 2003 and the number of live births for the age group 10-14 also dropped from 6 in the year 2000 to 2 in 2003 (MoH 2004a). Table 1: Maternal health indicators Contraceptive prevalence rate, 2004 (% of women aged 15-49) 39 Total fertility rate (per woman), 1995-2000 2.8 Maternal mortality rate (2003) 97 per 100,000 live birth Proportion of births with skilled attendant (%) - 2004 84 Proportion of all births to women under 20 years of age (%) - 2003 6 Proportion of pregnant women with Hb less than 11g/dl (%) - 2001 55 Unsafe abortion: data on abortion is difficult to find and not very reliable, as there is so little researched data available on unwanted pregnancies and safe or unsafe abortions in the Maldives. One reason for the lack of data is that most people would be unwilling to discuss these issues, or report personal accounts due to legal, social and religious reasons. However, the Reproductive Health Survey 2004 shows that both unwanted pregnancies and voluntary abortions do happen in the islands and Male’. It is likely that unsafe abortions may be cause for concern if reliable data was available, as well as being one of the factors that is contributing to the high MMR. Status of health of children under-five The health of children in the Maldives has improved dramatically in recent years. For example, infant mortality rate (IMR) has decreased at a rapid rate during the last decade, from 30 per 1,000 live births in 1992, to 18 per 1000 live births in 2002, and 14 per 1,000 live births in 2003. However the same decline in neonatal mortality rate is not seen. Early neonatal deaths (0-6 days after birth) account for 61% of the total infant deaths – this high level of early neonatal mortality is an indication that the provision of maternity and newborn care across the country is not yet adequate in terms of high coverage of quality services. Poor antenatal and postnatal health care Improving Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in the South-East Asia Region 49 Figure 3: Infant mortality rate per thousand live births, 1993-2003 breastfeeding and the reduction of low birth weight. There is evidence that there is an increase in exclusive breastfeeding with 42% of mothers breastfeeding their children exclusively up to 4 months (MoH 2001a). Table 2: Child health indicators Source: MOH, 2004 could be a contributing factor to the high numbers of neonatal deaths. Unlike other countries, the stillbirth rate in Maldives has also shown a significant and steady decrease over the last decade, dropping from 19 per 1,000 live births in 1990, to 11 per 1,000 live births in 2003. However, this is not a marked decline, when compared to the rate of improvements in the IMR and under-five mortality rates. Although it is generally believe the decreasing number of stillborns is a reflection of the increased level of births attended by skilled birth attendants, further studies are needed to verify this. Nutritional status: Malnutrition in all the population, including children, is of particular concern. The high prevalence of nutrition disorders, such as under-nutrition, stunting and wasting among children, is a great concern. The Vulnerable and Poverty Assessment (VPA) 1998 revealed that the extent of stunting and wasting found among girls was greater than boys. However, the preliminary results of the VPA II of 2004, shows that the overall undernutrition, stunting and wasting levels for children under 5 years, has decreased by 15% and 2% respectively, from 1997 to 2004. A National Nutrition Strategic Plan 2002-2006 (cited in MoH 2004a) has been developed. In this Strategic Plan particular attention is given to areas such as the reduction of malnutrition, increasing accessibility to essential food, promotion of exclusive 50 Improving Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in the South-East Asia Region Perinatal mortality rate N/A Infant mortality rate (2003 ) per 1,000 live births 18 Exclusive breast feeding at 4 months of age (%) - 2001 42 Under-five mortality (2003 ) per 1,000 live births 18 Health care delivery systems for maternal, newborn and child health The Ministry of Health is responsible for formulating policies, for both preventive and curative services. Health services in the Maldives have in recent years been re-organized into a five-tier referral system. Health services for maternal, newborn and child health care follow the same basic delivery system. This system comprise of the central referral hospital, the regional and atoll hospitals, atoll and island health centres and island health posts, all of which offer maternal and child specific health services. The fifth tier - at the top of the decision making hierarchy – consist of central health institutions which function under the Ministry of Health, and includes the Department of Public Health (DPH), the central hospital Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), the National Thalassemia Centre, and the Maldives Water and Sanitation Authority (MWSA), all of which are located in Male’. The fourth tier of the system is the regional hospitals – 6 across the country – each catering to a geographical region covering 2-5 atolls. They provide secondary level curative services, and through public health units also implement preventative health programmes, in addition they also supervise third and second level health services. All regional hospitals provide specialized care in gynaecology, obstetrics and paediatric services. Maldives The third layer in the health delivery system includes the 10 atoll hospitals. These are establishments that have recently been upgraded from health centres, and are now capable of handling obstetric and surgical emergencies. The atoll health centres – a total of 63 across 20 atolls - are at the second tier. They provide medical curative and preventative services. The personnel staffing these centres include doctors and nurses for curative services and community health workers for preventative services. These centres have now been upgraded and have facilities for women giving birth. At the first level, and closes to the users, is the island health post – 52 altogether - which offers basic health services. They are staffed with Community Health Workers (CHWs), Family Health Workers (FHWs) and are often assisted by foolhumas (traditional birth attendants, TBAs). The services available at this level include simple preventative and a few simple curative services, including antenatal clinics for basic maternal health care monitoring, such as blood pressure monitoring, administration of iron and folic acid supplements, and identifying danger signs and cases which need referral to the hospitals for specialized antenatal care. While in the past health services were predominantly provided by the government, the involvement of the private sector has significantly increased in recent years. There is now one private major tertiary hospital - ADK Hospital in Male’, around 50 private clinics and a number of independent laboratories. Furthermore, 117 of the 182 pharmacy outlets are run privately. Private traditional healers and practitioners of alternative medicine also operate on a significant scale. Consequently, there is now an urgent need for an appropriate regulatory mechanism for private and traditional practices. Human resources for maternal, newborn and child health in the country The Maldives has seen in the last decade a rapid increase in medical health professionals and trained personnel, both local and foreign. The number of medical personnel rose by almost 56% from 1994 to Maldives 1999. Even with this significant increase however there remains a significant shortage of health staff. The shortage of medical staff is acutely felt, particularly in the rural atolls. According to the 2003 statistics the patient doctor ratio was 858:1. Further, data shows that there were 785 nurses, 454 paramedics, 119 community health workers (CHWs), 333 family health workers (FHWs) and 409 traditional birth attendants or foolhumas in total in 2003. The shortage of medical personnel is reflected in the high rate of expatriates employed in this field; expatriates make up 34% of the total health personnel of both private and public sector. The shortfall is felt most in speciality fields, for example there are currently only 31 gynaecologists and 11 paediatricians in the country. In terms of quality of services provided, case reviews on maternal deaths reveal that the shortage of trained medical personnel at island level, is one of the major contributing factors in poor management of pregnancy and birth-related complications and therefore to poor maternal health outcomes. Early identification of high risk cases and better access to emergency health care facilities and services would greatly reduce the loss of lives (Box 1). Local training of health personnel has shown great benefits. Special priority is given to training Box 1: Case study Fathmath’s (alias), husband took her to the FHW with the complaint of bleeding. Even though she had fever, and a prior history of complications and miscarriages the FHW prescribed panadol and the CHW advised referral to the hospital if condition did not get better. The next day her family took her to the RH which was on another island, as the bleeding had not stopped. On the third day she got weaker and started to vomit and complained of severe abdominal pain. A scan confirmed that the foetus was dead and an emergency D&C was done and the foetus removed. Later that day the patient’s condition became unstable and she was given a second blood transfusion and transferred to intensive therapy. Later that night she was given a third blood transfusion and the doctor reported severe bleeding. Fathmath was posted for an emergency hysterectomy but stopped breathing on the operating table and she could not be revived. Fathmath was not using any contraception and she had not wanted this pregnancy. She was 36 years old and a mother of 5. Maternal Death Review Report of 2001 Improving Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in the South-East Asia Region 51 maternal health personnel, including CHWs, FHWs and providing health education to TBAs. The Faculty of Health Sciences offers diploma level training in nursing and midwifery. Improving maternal, newborn and child health through health policy The government recognizes the health of mothers and children as a priority area for health policy and plans, and a number of measures are currently being implemented in the areas of maternal, child, reproductive health (RH) and family planning (FP). Several of these initiatives have been undertaken with support from agencies such as WHO, UNFPA and other bilateral and multilateral donors. While the Ministry of Health formulates health policies, monitors and evaluates the health situation, the Department of Public Health carries out preventive health programmes and promotive, preventive and rehabilitative health care services in the country. The areas of focus for the Department of Public Health include nutrition, disease control and immunization, maternal and child health, reproductive health and family planning, and food safety. Implementation and operational constraints Geographical make-up of the country makes communication and travelling expensive and time consuming. The scattered nature of the population in small islands over a large geographical area causes diseconomies of scale in the provision of health care on a large scale to all the islands. In addition:
There is a shortage of skilled health personnel, particularly skilled personnel for quality maternal, newborn and child health, especially at the island level. The lack of trained and specialist staff makes it difficult for early detection of critical cases, which is necessary to reduce maternal and infant mortality 52 especially in the case of emergencies where transport of patients becomes extremely costly. This acts as a barrier for further improvements in maternal health, especially in remote areas and for the poor
Despite efforts to address the situation, the high prevalence of nutritional deficiencies found in the Maldives is a major challenge. Nutritional deficiencies are mostly due to behaviour and lifestyle factors, which needs to be changed across all age groups. As the health status prior to pregnancy is as relevant to neonatal morbidity and mortality and contributes to a significant proportion of maternal deaths, there is urgent need to address nutritional deficiencies. Best practices/innovations to improve maternal, newborn and child health Considerable contribution to improving maternal and reproductive health in the Maldives is provided through partnership with the NGO sector. There are two local NGOs, whose contribution is of particular note, one being the Society for Health Education (SHE). SHE provides reproductive health and family planning services, such as doctor consultations for pregnant women, family planning information and services and counselling. SHE, also conducts outreach programmes by running mobile clinics in a number of islands. In addition to the National Thalassaemia Center, SHE has undertaken a considerable amount of work raising awareness on Thalassaemia, and providing practical assistance to individuals with Thalassaemia and their families. The other NGO operating in the country is the Foundation for the Advancement of Self Help in Attaining Needs (FASHAN), which has been involved in creating awareness around HIV/AIDS and other social health issues. Other important innovations that have been successfully used to improve maternal, newborn and child health include :
There is a lack of an established domestic transport system, which hinders accessibility of health services. This is a great constraint,
The development of specific nutrition education materials and activities. Under the National Nutrition Strategic Plan, materials have been developed and community workshops have been conducted on Vitamin Improving Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in the South-East Asia Region Maldives A supplementation; the use of iodised salt; exclusive breastfeeding; and complementary feeding using locally available foods
Celebrating World Breastfeeding Week. This is celebrated annually throughout the country. In addition, information education and communication (IEC) materials have been produced and disseminated on breastfeeding, and extensive awareness programmes have been conducted through the media
Providing iron and folic acid supplementation to all pregnant women attending antenatal clinics
Use of peer education and training in schools, and public education, via the mass media, has been very effective for increasing awareness on a range of health issues, especially those concerned with reproductive health
Special programmes are being conducted targeting men, in order to increase male participation in reproductive health and family planning. The effectiveness of these has yet to be evaluated
Finally, health sector initiatives in the area of vaccine preventable diseases have shown considerable achievements. There has been good progress in the decentralisation of immunization rounds (MoH 2004a). Maldives Main sources of data Maldives. Department of Public Health. Surveillance disease annual report. Male’: MOH, 2002. Maldives. Ministry of Health. Health report 2004. Male’: MOH, 2004. Maldives. Ministry of Health. Health master plan 1996 – 2005: midterm evaluation report. Male’: MOH, 2003. Maldives. Ministry of Health. Multiple indicator cluster survey. Male’: MOH, 2001. Maldives. Ministry of Health. Organisation of the health system.

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