The administration announced that the first ever Cancer Hospital in the Maldives is to commence after a team arrives in the Maldives next week, as promised by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, with the aim of developing the health services provided in the Maldives.

While speaking at the press conference held on Wednesday, Spokesperson of the President’s Office, Mabrook Azeez stated that a team will be arriving to the Maldives next week in order to the begin the work of the Cancer Hospital in L. Gan. He also said that that the team is arriving in order to conduct the Detail Project Review and to move the project forward.

After his trip to Laamu Atoll and highlighting that the three development projects in the atoll have concluded, the President stated on the 3rd of December 2020, that the Cancer Hospital being constructed with the aid provided by India will be established in Laamu Atoll. He also affirmed that this Hospital is being built as a means of developing the Maldives health sector. 

As this Hospital is being constructed under Indian grant assistance, the President noted that the Government of India had shared relevant documents in relation to this Project and announced that the project will commence in 2021.

Even the Finance Minister, Ibrahim Ameer had previously confirmed that this project would be initiated. While presenting 2021’s budget to the Parliament, the minister stated that this project is very important for the field of health.

He further stated that this project will help the administration in achieving their goal of decreasing the death rate of 2018 by 15 percent from diseases such as cancer.

The Hospital was first to be established in Hulhumalé, according to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, on 4th December. In the ceremony held to sign four agreements between India and the Maldives, Prime Minister Modi affirmed that India has provided the Maldives with a lot of assistance.

It is to be noted, that according to statistics published by Aasandha, most Maldivians travel abroad, under insurance, for cancer treatment.