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A whole population survey was performed in Addu Atoll, southern Maldives to establish the prevalence of bronchial asthma. Assessments of atopic eczema, allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis and intestinal infection were made, and serum specific IgE titres to a number of allergens were measured. Asthma is a common condition in the southern Maldives, and there is no evidence that the IgE produced by intestinal helminths prevents the condition.
In the Maldives archipelago, constituted of coral islands, where pollution is practically non-existent and where fish is the staple food of the inhabitants, ciguatera is almost unknown. The authors compares these findings with those observed in the Seychelles islands, where pollution seems to be relatively significant and ciguatera very rare. He thinks that pollution can only play a very slight part in the etiology of this intoxication.
The Maldive Islands harbour, among 2,000 widely scattered coral islands, 190 atolls at present inhabited by over 128,000 persons. Between 1956-1976 the Royal Air Force occupied an air staging station which resulted in an increase in material and health prosperity, mostly affecting Hittadu Island. The growth rate which was 2.6% for the Maldivian population prior to that period, increased to 4.4%, resulting in a population density of 1,085 per sqkm. The unenviable prospects of the withdrawal are described.
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The paper reports on the use of three larvivorous fishes in the Maldives Republic: Poecilia reticulata (Poeciliidae), Mollienesia sphenops (Cyprinodontidae) and for the first time Kuhlia taeniurus (Kuhliidae), a sea fish adapted to life in wells, which are the only sources of water supply (with the exception of a few rain-water cisterns). The approximately 20 000 wells are the main and all-year-round breeding places for both Anophelines and Culicines. Due to this type of breeding places, Maldives are in a unique situation, that the fish can theoretically be used as the main control measure for filariasis. This requires an absolute minimum of work and no cost at all. There has been a reduction of the filariasis overall endemicity rates over the last 10 years although no specific measures have been carried out (except in the capital city of Male) nor have any ecological changes taken place, which could explain this decrease. With this decrease however there has been lately a marked reduction in the percentage of wells with fish in some atolls.
BACKGROUND: Psychotic disorders are a major contributor to global disability, yet prevalence data from South Asia which inhabits a quarter of the world's population, remain limited. Reliable estimates are essential for health service planning, policy, and closing the substantial treatment gap. This review provides the first comprehensive synthesis of psychosis prevalence across South Asia. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Global Health, and Medline to 18 December 2024 for DSM- or ICD-based prevalence studies in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies in community or clinical populations were included. Study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist. Random-effects meta-analyses estimated pooled prevalence using the logit transformation. Heterogeneity was explored with meta-regression of key methodological variables (publication year, diagnostic system, residential setting). FINDINGS: Thirty-one studies from five countries were included. Among community-dwelling adults, pooled point prevalence was 0.85% and lifetime prevalence was 1.40%, with inter-country differences (India 1.18%, Pakistan 2.13%, Nepal 2.90%). Clinical samples showed substantially higher proportions of individuals with psychosis in service settings (11.44%), reflecting concentration of cases in treatment-seeking samples. Data for children and adolescents were limited and summarised narratively. Heterogeneity was high across meta-analyses, and exploratory meta-regression did not identify any significant moderators. INTERPRETATION: Psychosis prevalence estimates in South Asia appear higher than global averages but should be interpreted cautiously due to substantial heterogeneity and methodological variation; nevertheless, they highlight the need for culturally sensitive screening, improved detection, and strengthened mental health services.