Although the establishment of specialised treatment services for major illnesses in the Maldives has reduced the number of patients sent overseas for medical care, the savings have not been reflected in overall expenditure because significant costs are still incurred for sending cancer patients abroad, Minister of Health, Family and Welfare, Geela Ali, has said.
The minister made the remarks in response to a question from Galolhu North Parliamentarian Mohamed Ibrahim during a sitting of Parliament regarding the government's long-term strategy to reduce spending on overseas medical treatment.
Minister Geela said government spending on healthcare should be viewed not simply as a financial cost but as an investment in building a healthier population.
She said the government had expanded a range of specialised medical services in recent years so that treatment for major illnesses could increasingly be provided within the Maldives. As a result, the number of patients travelling abroad under the Aasandha health insurance scheme declined over the past three years. Between 2023 and the end of 2025, the number of patients sent overseas fell by 338.
However, she said the overall reduction has been limited because the number of patients requiring overseas treatment for cancer has continued to increase.
"Between 2023 and 2025, 483 patients were sent abroad for cancer treatment. During the same period, the number of patients sent overseas for non-cancer conditions fell by 821. This reflects the impact of introducing more treatment services locally. Patients are still referred overseas for treatments that are not yet available in the Maldives, highly specialised care, cancer treatment and complex neurological operations. Over the past three years, cancer treatment has accounted for the largest share of overseas referrals," the minister said.
She added that 1,638 people travelled abroad for cancer-related diagnostic tests in 2023, 1,996 in 2024 and more than 2,000 in 2025. These figures include patients who travelled repeatedly to receive treatment.
The minister said the government's primary objective is to establish these specialised services within the Maldives, adding that steady progress has already been made.
She said mammography services for breast cancer screening have been introduced in Male’ and in the atolls, enabling around 750 people to undergo testing within the country so far. Work is also under way to expand the service to three additional atolls.
Efforts are also continuing to extend cervical cancer screening services nationwide.
Minister Geela said that, despite the availability of chemotherapy services in the Maldives, only 39 patients sought the treatment abroad last year, while 655 patients received chemotherapy locally.
"With expanded screening services and improved access to doctors, diseases can now be detected earlier. This allows patients to receive treatment at an earlier stage, improving their chances of recovery and helping them return to healthier lives," she said.
The minister added that once the planned cancer hospital, PET scan services and radiotherapy become operational, the need to send patients overseas for these treatments will be significantly reduced, making cancer care more accessible and convenient for Maldivians.