WHO declares Sri Lanka has achieved Hepatitis B control

In a significant milestone, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared on Wednesday that both Sri Lanka and Maldives have successfully achieved control over the deadly hepatitis B disease.

In a significant milestone, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared on Wednesday that both Sri Lanka and Maldives have successfully achieved control over the deadly hepatitis B disease.

This comes after an expert panel verified that the two countries have had consistently high coverage of Hepatitis B vaccine doses in infants and a low prevalence of the deadly disease, corroborated through serological surveys conducted recently in both countries.

“I congratulate and commend the Maldives and Sri Lanka on their achievement which once again demonstrates the earnest efforts being made by the health leaders and officials, health workers and the people of these countries towards the health and well-being of communities,” Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia said.