60 percent of doctors working in Maldives are expatriates: Minister Geela

Minister of Health, Family and Welfare Geela Ali has stated that the Maldives' healthcare workforce remains heavily reliant on expatriates, noting that 60 percent of practicing doctors in the country are foreign nationals.

During Monday's Parliament session, Minister Geela noted that expatriates constitute a significant percentage of the healthcare workforce in the Maldives, while responding to a lawmaker's inquiry during the questioning period.

The Minister stated that healthcare services are currently being provided with the involvement of a significant number of expatriates.

"I must note that 60 percent of the doctors currently in our service are expatriates. Consequently, when these medical professionals resign or leave our service for any other reason, there are extensive administrative procedures required to recruit their replacements."

Geela Ali, Minister of Health, Family and Welfare.

The Minister stated that according to 2025 statistics, there are currently more than 12,000 personnel employed in the Maldives' healthcare sector. Of these, over 7,000 are stationed in the atolls, while more than 5,000 are based in the capital, Malé. The Minister further noted that over 3,400 of these healthcare workers are expatriates.

The Minister highlighted the government's vision to transform the healthcare sector into one primarily driven by Maldivian professionals, noting that specialized training programs are already underway at the Maldives National University to achieve this goal. The Minister further expressed hope for a high enrollment of Maldivians in these courses, emphasizing the objective of ensuring that the nation's healthcare services are delivered by a predominantly local workforce.