Minister of Health Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim has said that Addu City’s health system will be expanded and undergo significant transformation during the current Administration’s term.

The Minister made the remarks while speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the catheterisation laboratory (Cath Lab) and Government-operated optical shop at Addu Equatorial Hospital.

Addressing the gathering, the Minister Nazim said the national health system has faced longstanding structural challenges, adding that reforms are already under way in the Greater Malé Region and will be extended to Addu City as a key regional healthcare hub. He stated that strengthening healthcare services in Addu City is a priority under the Government’s health sector reform agenda.

The Minister said the Administration is working to develop the City’s health system as an integrated network, with plans to upgrade health centres across the city and expand the range of medical services available to residents. He noted that improving access to quality healthcare in the southern atolls is essential to reducing the need for patients to travel to Malé for treatment.

Providing updates on ongoing projects, the Minister said upgrade works at Maradhoo Health Centre are expected to commence soon following the completion of legal procedures with Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC). He added that projects for Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo are currently in the design phase, with contracts already developed, and that development works in Feydhoo are also being planned as part of efforts to improve healthcare facilities across Addu City.

The Health Minister said the next five years would mark the beginning of a new phase for Addu City’s health sector, with the Government committed to implementing reforms aimed at improving service quality, infrastructure, and access to care for residents of the southern region.