Government Allocates Major Budget Share for Healthcare, Plans Five New Hospitals

The Maldivian government has earmarked substantial funds in the 2025 state budget for healthcare development, including the construction of five hospitals designed to reduce the need for overseas treatment and enhance healthcare infrastructure. Minister of Finance Moosa Zameer announced the health sector as the second-largest recipient of the budget after housing, with a focus on hospitals catering to critical health needs, such as cancer care and mental health.

The five hospitals to be developed include a Cancer Hospital in Hulhumalé, a specialized Thalassemia and Organ Transplant Hospital with a 100-bed capacity, and a Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Hulhumalé Phase I. The Vilimalé Tertiary Hospital and expansions to Hulhumalé Hospital are also prioritized within the budget. The government aims to complete these hospitals by 2027, intending to significantly improve local access to specialized healthcare.

Presenting the budget to Parliament, Minister Zameer stressed the inadequacy of the current healthcare system in managing diseases like cancer and addressing mental health needs. The development of these new facilities, he said, will be essential in decreasing wait times for consultations and improving the quality of life for Maldivians across the islands.

Additionally, the budget includes provisions for expanding primary healthcare, with plans to establish more clinics throughout the Greater Malé Region for general consultations. This initiative seeks to ease the demand on specialist services while creating a structured pathway for specialized and super-specialized consultations.