Sea ambulance services have been launched in Velidhoo, Noonu Atoll.
This is in line with President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s pledge to establish these services in the island from January 2026, as stated in the meeting with Velidhoo residents during the President's community outreach on 23 July 2025.
Currently in Noonu Atoll, sea ambulance service is only available in Manadhoo. Due to the limitation of just one sea ambulance and as it is used to transport passengers to the capital city based on healthcare need, it causes constraints within Noonu atoll. By operationalising a second sea ambulance, the government has significantly alleviated healthcare delivery burden within the atoll, as noted by the Ministry of Defence.
In a ceremony held to launch the sea ambulance services Velidhoo, the Deputy Minister of Defence, Fathmath Mizna Ali, detailed that the president has provided assistance to the ministry to help establish these services. She further highlighted Velidhoo's potential as a major tourist hub in the nation, stating that this initiative while reinforcing the health services in the island, will also have a multiplier effect on the tourism and economic sectors, ehancing trust and confidence among the business sector and investors as an island that has the necessary facilities in place to deal with emergencies.
Deputy Minister Mizna emphasesed the government's broader goal towards a more comprehensive and well planned healthcare policy, as she stated “The entire Noonu atoll will benefit from this preorogative. As an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has been established in Manadhoo hospital, and 24-hour healthcare agencies have been launched in Landhoo and similar islands, these sea ambulance services will provide connections throughout the atoll, marking a revolutionary step forward in the healthcare sector.”
The Ministry of Defence has stated that nine new sea ambulances will be delivered to new islands throughout the atolls in 2026, with this initiative funded by the government. Furthermore, such services will be reintroduced to 3 islands where medical transportation was on pause, and upgrades will be provided to the sea ambulance fleet currently in use.