News Desk
MALE’ — The government has launched 166 health infrastructure projects across the Maldives in what officials are calling an unprecedented effort to modernise regional medical facilities and reduce the archipelago’s heavy reliance on the capital and foreign nations.
The scale of the expansion was detailed in the Majlis on Wednesday by Geela Ali, the Minister of Health, Family and Social Services, in response to questions from Funadhoo MP Mohamed Mamdhooh regarding the state of atoll-based healthcare. Minister Geela stated that the health sector currently commands the highest volume of infrastructure projects in the country, backed by the largest slice of this year’s state budget.
The active projects, which include direct state-funded initiatives and public–private contracts, are designed to introduce specialised services to the outer atolls. According to the ministry, the current phase of work involves structural modifications to accommodate new MRI machines, the recruitment of specialised staff, and the installation of CT scans, dental units, and dialysis services in islands where they have historically been unavailable.
The aggressive rollout follows a timeline recently established by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu. Under the administration’s schedule, smaller regional facility upgrades are expected to wrap up over the coming months, while major hospital construction and complex infrastructure expansions are targeted for completion by mid-2028.
The push for domestic decentralisation comes against a backdrop of stark statistics regarding outbound medical travel. Data shared by the minister during the parliamentary session revealed a steady, year-on-year increase in the number of Maldivian citizens being sent abroad for complex treatments—primarily oncology—under the state-funded Aasandha health insurance scheme.
In 2023, the state sponsored 1,638 patients for overseas cancer care. That figure climbed to 1,996 in 2024, and surpassed 2,002 patients in 2025, a tally that includes both first-time diagnoses, repeat treatments, and Maldivians already residing in neighbouring countries.
“Cancer is a dangerous disease, but if detected early, it can be treated and lives can be saved,” Minister Geela said, reiterating that the administration’s core policy is to spread diagnostic capabilities—such as mammography and cervical screenings—away from Malé and into all atoll hospitals.
By establishing functioning laboratories on every inhabited island and upgrading island health centres, the government aims to catch critical illnesses earlier, cutting down both the financial burden on the state budget and the domestic displacement of families seeking basic care.
