Minister of Health Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim has revealed the administration's comprehensive strategy to launch new healthcare services and to bolster existing ones in both Malé City and the outer atolls. During an interview with PSM News, conducted while visiting Ungoofaaru and Hulhudhuffaaru in Raa Atoll alongside President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, Minister Ibrahim outlined the administration's commitment to improving healthcare nationwide.
The administration plans to utilise bulk procurement policies, according to Minister Ibrahim, to import crucial medicines and pharmaceutical equipment, ensuring their distribution to hospitals and healthcare centres across the outer islands. These initiatives align with President Dr Muizzu's commitment to enhancing the quality of healthcare services nationwide, he added.
A key component of the administration's healthcare agenda, according to the minister, is to guarantee the availability of high-quality medication and the establishment of accessible and affordable healthcare services and equipment. He underscored that several noteworthy developments are expected in the healthcare sector this year, including the introduction of new services in both the outer atolls and Malé City.
Minister Ibrahim further underscored that these reforms reflect President Dr Muizzu's unwavering commitment to prioritising healthcare within his developmental agenda. The administration's accomplishments to date include broadening access to the national universal healthcare insurance platform, Aasandha, and decisions to regulate the retail prices of medicines. Aasandha has also been expanded to encompass services from healthcare institutions in Thailand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The administration also launched the air ambulance services and earmarked funds in the 2025 budget for the development of five hospitals, including specialised facilities for Thalassemia and cancer treatment. The administration has also implemented measures to increase taxes on tobacco imports, ban vaping devices and products, and raise the legal age for purchasing tobacco products to 21 years.
Minister Ibrahim further reaffirmed that the administration's healthcare reforms will concentrate on tackling the prevalence of non-communicable diseases, enhancing primary healthcare, and promoting preventive care. Efforts to bolster primary healthcare across all atolls will be completed this year, with sustainable enforcement maintained in an organised manner, he assured.