Hulhumale’ Hospital has revealed that it has registered 1,247 cancer patients and that 60 patients are receiving chemotherapy while 425 are registered for treatment.
Hulhumale’ Hospital stated that it is providing daily chemotherapy sessions to 3-15 patients using the five oncology beds, adding that it is also working to improve its oncology services. Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) and hospitals in the atolls also provide cancer treatment.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has revealed that cancer is one of the three leading causes of death in the Maldives. A World Health Organisation (WHO) study done in 2020 on the state of diseases in the Maldives showed that 17% of the deaths are caused by cancer each year. More than 7,500 people received cancer treatment from 2016 to 2019. As such, lung cancer is the most common cancer treated in men and breast cancer is the most common cancer treated in women.
Additionally, statistics from the Ministry of Health show a high mortality rate of 84% due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the Maldives. The health ministry introduced a five-year National Cancer Control Plan of Maldives (NCCP) to respond to the challenges faced in administering optimal care for cancer patients by focusing on core areas of cancer control such as early prevention through letting go of unhealthy lifestyle habits that lead to cancer. The ministry stated that one-third or about 33% of individuals can prevent cancer early by developing healthy habits.