President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has announced efforts are underway to begin kidney transplant surgeries in Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) this year.
In the presidential address delivered to the parliament today, President Solih said non-communicable diseases have increased to concerning levels in Maldives, adding the administration has planned projects to develop treatment for such diseases. In this regard, he said the administration plans to begin kidney transplant surgeries in IGMH this year, while projects will be conducted to develop cancer treatment in Maldives.
President Solih added the administration began efforts last year to turn regional hospitals in the atolls to tertiary hospitals in order to remove the need to travel to Male’ City for medical treatment. As such, the president noted regional hospitals in Kulhudhuffushi, Ungoofaaru, Gan and Thinadhoo as well as Addu Equatorial Hospital will be turned to tertiary hospitals.
Furthermore, President Solih noted a mental healthcare facility was established in IGMH last year, adding 6,160 people sought treatment from the facility by the end of 2019. He also stated the administration is set to begin efforts to develop a shelter for senior citizens and a remand centre to rehabilitate drug addicts, as part of the plans to develop the social protection system in Maldives.