News Desk
Male’ — The government announced a plan today to train 1,500 Maldivians for allied health professions, a move aimed at strengthening the country’s health care system and reducing its dependence on foreign workers. The ambitious initiative, sealed through an agreement between the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Higher Education, Labor and Skills Development, and the National University, was formalized at a ceremony in Male’, marking a pivotal moment for the nation’s health sector.
The signing ceremony, held at the National University’s headquarters in Male’, was a moment of optimism for the future of the country’s health care. Health Minister Abdullah Nazim Ibrahim, Higher Education Minister Dr. Ali Haider, and National University Vice Chancellor Dr. Aishat Shehnaz Adam put pen to paper, committing their institutions to a shared vision of a stronger, locally driven health sector, aims to address a critical shortage of skilled health care workers and reduce the country’s reliance on foreign employees.
“This is a transformative opportunity for our people and our health system,” Mr. Nazim Ibrahim said in his remarks at the ceremony. He noted that foreign workers currently dominate the allied health sector, which includes roles like physiotherapists, speech therapists, counselors, radiographers, paramedics, and community health workers. “I urge as many Maldivians as possible to seize this chance to join the health system and drive positive change.”
The training program will offer courses in a range of disciplines, from diabetes care to paramedic services, with the goal of equipping participants to serve in hospitals, clinics, and community health centers across the country’s scattered atolls. The initiative is particularly urgent as the Maldives grapples with a rise in noncommunicable diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, driven by changing lifestyles in recent decades.
Dr. Haider, the higher education minister, emphasized the program’s broader societal benefits. “Our vision is to provide quality health services on every island, in every atoll, and across every region of the country,” he said. “By training competent local professionals, we are investing in the health and well-being of our entire society.”
The National University, tasked with overseeing the training program, is well-versed in tackling the challenges of building a skilled health care workforce. In the 1980s and 1990s, allied health workers, trained by the Maldives Allied Health Training Institute, played a critical role in eradicating communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria, establishing a robust foundation for the nation’s health system.
“Our aim is to train 1,500 allied health professionals who are not just competent but capable of delivering quality care to every corner of the Maldives,” she said.
The initiative comes at a critical juncture for the Maldives, a nation of fewer than 600,000 people, where access to advanced health care can be limited, especially in remote areas. Historically, allied health workers have been the backbone of the country’s health system, providing essential services in the absence of advanced medical infrastructure. However, as the nation modernized, it faced new health challenges, including a surge in lifestyle-related illnesses that require specialized care.
For many at the ceremony, the agreement was a nod to the past as much as a step toward the future. The success of allied health workers decades ago offers a blueprint for what this new generation of professionals could achieve. If successful, the program could not only fill gaps in the health care system but also create opportunities for young Maldivians to build meaningful careers at home.
