China envoy says Vilimale’ 100-bed hospital project ‘progressing smoothly’

The China-backed project to develop a 100-bed tertiary hospital in Vilimale’ is progressing smoothly, according to Wang Lixin, the country’s top diplomat in the Maldives.

In a post on X on Thursday morning, Chinese ambassador Wang said that the hospital project is progressing smoothly with the joint efforts of the relevant departments of Maldives and China.

“I believe that the project will bring tangible benefits to the Maldivian people,” she added.

On Wednesday, the project’s key stakeholders convened for a meeting with China’s foreign aid agency – the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), and the technical team from Maldives’ Infrastructure Ministry.

According to the Infrastructure Ministry, the discussions focued on the technical aspects of the feasibility study, as well as the operational and functional requirements of the hospital.

The meeting was also attended by CEO of Dharumavantha Hospital, Abdul Razzaq Haleem, and senior management of the Male’ City Group of Hospitals.

Vilimale’ is an island that neighbors Male’ City and is designated as a district of the capital.

Maldivian Health Minister Dr. Abdulla Khaleel announced the decision to build a 100-bed tertiary hospital in Vilimale’ on December 27.

And in January, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said that the Chinese government had offered grant assistance to fund the project.

He made the announcement via a video message while on a state visit to Beijing.

In the video message, President Muizzu said that China had agreed to fully fund the project.

And in March, the president said that the government had allocated land from Vilimale’ for the project, and that physical works would begin as soon as the technical work wraps up.

In May, Maldives and China signed a letter of exchange regarding conducting a feasibility study for the project.

President Muizzu has named improving access to healthcare as a top priority for his administration, and has said that the construction of the new hospital in Vilimale’ will eliminate the need for residents of the district to travel to Male’ City to access medical services.

The hospital project is not the only infrastructure development project supported by Beijing in Vilimale’. Last month, Maldives and CIDCA signed a letter of exchange on conducting a feasibility study to redevelop the roads of Vilimale’ and Male’ City.