We Maldivians are known for our ability to live in a culture fueled with ignorance and a government who is able to ram us up the ass and the ability of our people to bend over and take anything for granted. Such is our state of affairs. We tend to ignore what is happening in the outside world and how it might affect us. This is the same with health care needs.

 

It was not long ago, in April, that the Maldivian government announced and launched a mass MMR immunization campaign, along with a new but useless health master plan. Maldives government is well known for improving their statics with well written reports to show off to the global community on how good and well the health care needs of its citizens are being met with, which most of the time is based on rather sketchy statistics. It is not new and alarming when one finds the real situation ; that the majority of the children are in fact malnourished, basic health needs are not met and no solid system of health delivery in place. These reports are all in fact custard and puddings.

 

What has this MMR vaccine has to do with Maldives? Quiet a number of things. And some very concerning and questionable things as well. Let me explain.

 

There is a huge, and i mean huge, ongoing debate in the US regarding the link between MMR vaccine, which has thimerosal component in it, with developing late onset Autism. Some very sad dealings from parents of an autistic kid can be found here. Robert F. Kennedy Jr is leading the debate where he has on several occasions uncovered the US governments cover ups.

 

 

Maldivians haven’t given a flying fock about the “FREE” vaccines and drugs being provided by the WHO ever. From where does these vaccines come from? Are they usually the ones that are deemed “unacceptable” by the developed countries which end up in a third world poor country like us who usually don’t care to give a second glance at what they are getting free for. There is a saying that anything that is free should be questioned twice.

 

And in the case of MMR vaccine programme that is carried out raises many questions. It is very well planned. Too well planned to raise many doubts. Too quick and too prompt, the recent initiative is.

No time in the history of Maldives has such a vaccination program carried out which is being planned and carried out to the very precise detail. Should we be concerned or should we be joyful and happy about this. Both i guess.

 

The CDC mentions that they no longer use the thimerosal based MMR vaccines anymore.

Today, with the exception of some Influenza (flu) vaccines, none of the vaccines used in the U.S. to protect preschool children against 12 infectious diseases contain thimerosal as a preservative.

 

 

This is what the WHO had to say regarding some countries’ withdrawing the thimerosal based vaccines.

Why are some countries withdrawing thiomersal if there is no risk?

Some national public health authorities are striving to replace thiomersal-containing vaccines as a precautionary measure. There is currently no evidence of toxicity from mercury contained in vaccines. There are only a few tested, efficacious and safe alternatives to thiomersal-containing vaccines. Current production capacity for such vaccines is limited and insufficient to cover global needs.

 

 

Why have they stopped using the thimerosal based vaccines regardless of all the so called “evidence”(most of the studies were funded by the vaccine manufacturers themselves) suggesting no link between autism and MMR vaccines with thimerosal? Infact these pharmaceutical companies are such power players in today’s health care delivery systems globally (mainly due to the over privatisation of the US health system), they control the whole of the pharmaceutical drugs business. It was in Feb 2007 that 1.5 billion US dollar deal ended up in the coffins of GlaxoSmithKline PLC in US to manufacture vaccines for the third world. And when these pharmaceutical companies fund the research such as that of the link between MMR and autism you can imagine what the result is going to look like.

 

Where did all the thimerosal based vaccines manufactured for the developed countries but later discontinued end up?

 

Not hard to imagine. They end up in the third world countries. A friend of mine who works for the Red Cross mentioned that it is very reasonable to assume that the developed countries would not make expensive vaccines without thimerosal for the developing countries. So we could assume that the MMR vaccines that are being given to our kids contain the toxin thimerosal. It is no secret that experimentation of the kids from developing countries (with the full backing from the UN) with drugs and vaccines is a common practice. The people of Mozambique did become guinea pigs for experimentation for Malarial drugs. And testing of new drugs on the worlds poor is nothing new.

 

These critics argue that less intensive and less formulated regimes have gone ahead with their trial research in developing countries where they may not have been able to in nations like the US. Additionally, many of these trials are even funded by foreign governments and the United Nations.

 

 

Thimerosal based vaccines in fact do end up in the third world countries. That is the reality and the hard to swallow truth.

 

But thimerosal is still used in vaccines across much of the developing world. If the vaccine court decides that the preservative caused autism, parents of children in poor countries are likely to protest its inclusion, but removing it would make vaccines much more expensive and potentially put them out of reach for many.

 

 

Did the MMR vaccines given to our children had this mercury based component which literally wrecks up the brain and gastro intestinal system? Time will tell.

 

It is no secret and even even mind boggling to find that we cant rely or trust our very own government officials. It is not surprising when our corrupt ministers go abroad to meet the pharmaceutical industries representatives to finish off their deals (more on this some other time). In fact, this do happen quiet often. The public is just not aware of these happenings.

I am not against childhood immunization. The only concern for me is the quality of the vaccines given to our “third classed” Maldivian children. Are our kids and children safe? Can we trust the WHO ever who is providing the free vaccines and drugs? You tell me. The truth may sleep in the morgue. For how long is what no one knows. How will we be sure. May be we will only know the truth after a few years when our children starts displaying autistic characteristics.

 

Want more to read. Here, here and here.