An expert team consisting of two oncologists from India has visited Laamu Atoll for the preliminary site survey of the proposed Cancer Hospital.
High Commission of India in the Maldives stated a delegation including two senior oncologists from the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), Mumbai, is currently visiting the Maldives from September 5 to 9, to assist in the proposed establishment of a Cancer Hospital in Laamu Atoll. The project is to be funded from the USD 800 million Line of Credit extended to the Maldives from the EXIM Bank of India.
The announcement regarding setting up a Cancer Hospital in the Maldives was made during the Video Conference between President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2019.
Cancer is a serious public health concern in the Maldives with well over 400 new cases of cancer diagnosed every year. It is the third leading cause of mortality in the Maldives. At present, limited cancer-related treatment is available at some government and private hospitals in Male' City. For advanced treatment, including diagnostics, surgery and radiation, cancer patients are required to travel abroad.
The Government of Maldives requested for the Cancer Hospital to be set up in Laamu Atoll. In response, India has sent a senior team from TMC to visit the proposed location in Laamu Atoll to conduct a preliminary survey of the site and the available facilities and services.
The project involves the setting up of a state-of-the-art Cancer Hospital in Gan to provide comprehensive specialised care, diagnostics, treatment and rehabilitation for cancer patients. Once fully operationalised, the hospital will also facilitate medical tourism to the Maldives. The project also includes within its scope, the development of a Population-Based Cancer Registry in the Maldives.
Among the most important components of this project is the development of the capacity of local health professionals in specialised cancer care. Training will be imparted to local medical, nursing and other health professionals and administrators in different oncology-related fields to accommodate the needs of the hospital. A total of 230 health professionals in the Maldives will be provided training across the medical, scientific, technical, nursing, administrative and auxiliary areas of cancer care.
The development of a Cancer Hospital in the Maldives combines two focus areas of the India-Maldives partnership healthcare cooperation and capacity building.