Maldives seeks consultant for study into ‘unusual’ rise in noncommunicable diseases

Health Minister Dr. Abdulla Khaleel says the government is looking for a consultant for a World Health Organization (WHO)-backed study into an “unusual” increase in noncommunicable diseases in the Maldives.

Khaleel, who was summoned to the Parliament on Tuesday, was asked by Vaikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyad whether the authorities have registered an increase in noncommunicable diseases in the country.

“As you, honorable member, just mentioned, there has been an unusual increase in certain noncommunicable diseases in the Maldives. We are collaborating with the WHO for a study. A consultant will be arranged soon,” he said.

Khaleel said that studies conducted by the Health Ministry show an increase in noncommunicable diseases in some islands, such as cancer.

He said that it is imperative that the government finds out what exactly it is that is causing it.

Khaleel had announced plans to conduct the study during a press briefing in May.

Khaleel told reporters that the cases of noncommunicable cases were “alarmingly high”, accounting for 84 percent of fatalities in the Maldives. Out of this, 17 percent die from cancer.

Noting that cancer treatment is costly, Khaleel said that the government was working on providing more coverage for the treatment through the state health insurance service provider Aasandha and the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA).

During a visit to Maldives in 2019, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pledged to build a cancer hospital in the country. A team from India later visited to conduct surveys. However, practical works were never initiated.

The previous Maldivian administration had planned to build the hospital in L. Gan. However, the new administration, which took office in November last year, said the hospital will be built in Male’ City, on the parking area of Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), and the vacant land to the east.

Maldives also registers a high number of cases of noncommunicable diseases other than cancer, including diabetes. 14 percent of the Maldivian population suffers from diabetes.