Minister of Health: Maldives needs to expand their areas of rehabilitation

Minister of Health, Ahmed Zuhoor has said that the rehabilitation centers are not just for drug abusers and the Maldives needs to expand their area of rehabilitation.

Speaking at the ceremony to mark the World Tuberculosis (TB) Day at Himmafushi, the minister of health said that while expanding the rehabilitation service, it also has to be used properly.

“Rehabilitation centers are not just target for drugs. Our community has different areas we to need expand the rehabilitation service into. And it’s the people’s responsibility to use the rehabilitation service.” The minister said.

Talking about the TB day, minister Zuhoor said a TB screening program for the people in rehabilitation centers and the convicts in prison would be held this year to mark the day.

A special information kit about tuberculosis was introduced by the ministry of health today.

Tuberculosis is the disease with the second highest mortality rate after HIV Aids. About nine million people die of tuberculosis annually while three million of those people die without any treatment.

Maldives have relatively low number of TB patients. Only 10, 663 people have been registered as TB positive up to this day since 1965.

Last year 132 people were registered for different types of tuberculosis. Health Protection Agency (HPA) says that this number is higher than 2013.

The long term treatment for tuberculosis is arranged by the government.