With an aim to boost the Maldives health sector capacity, the government of Japan has provided a grant aid of USD three million to the Maldivian government.

During a signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Khaleel and Ambassador of Japan to the Maldives Keiko Yanai signed the Exchange of Notes linked to the grant aid.

The grant aid totaling 400 million Japanese Yen which is approximately USD three million, aims to promote economic and social development of the country.

It will be used to boost the capacity of healthcare service providers and will also back the provision of sea ambulance equipped with the necessary medical systems. It will also see employees trained to efficiency in the event of a serious illness or medical condition and on emergency evacuations.

Highlighting that the demand for sea ambulance services has increased notably across the country, State Minister Khaleel noted that the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has led to constant struggles arising for the health sector, which is struggling to match resources and capabilities.

Further he noted that the Japanese grant assistance is a “much needed” and timely boost to the capabilities of sea ambulance services nationwide.

This he said, will also ensure reliable and uninterrupted service for emergency transfer or medical evacuation of patients during bad weather.

The state minister thanked the Japanese government for the assistance, stating that it mirrors the government’s goodwill and generosity towards Maldives

The ceremony was joined by senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense and National Security, Ministry of Health and the officials from the Embassy of Japan.

Since the pandemic began sweeping across the globe, Japan has been providing immense support to help Maldives on its recovery efforts, alongside being a long-standing partner to the Maldives by contributing to the development of the education, social and environment sectors.