A delegation including 2 senior oncologists from the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), Mumbai, is visiting Maldives from 5-9 Sept, 2021 in connection with the proposed establishment of a Cancer Hospital in Laamu.

The project is included under the USD 800 million EXIM Bank of India Line of Credit extended to the Maldives. The project finance, like for other large infrastructure projects undertaken in the Maldives under the EXIM Bank Line of Credit, includes a 1.75% interest rate, 5-year grace period and 20-year repayment period in total to reduce the debt burden for the Maldives Government.

The project involves the setting up of a state-of-the-art Cancer Hospital in L. 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 announcement regarding the setting up a Cancer hospital in the Maldives was made during the Video Conference between President Solih and Prime Minister 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 3rd 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, the cancer patients are required to travel abroad.

The Government of Maldives requested for the Cancer Hospital to be set up in Laamu. In response, India has sent a senior team from TMC to visit the proposed location in Laamu to conduct a preliminary survey of the site and the available facilities and services. 

TMC is India’s national comprehensive cancer centre for the prevention, treatment, education, and research in cancer and is recognised as one of the leading cancer centres in Asia. Every year, approx. 30,000 new patients visit the hospital from all over India and neighbouring countries. Nearly 8500 major operations are performed and 5000 patients treated with Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy annually in multi-disciplinary programmes delivering established treatments. India is pleased to rope in this reputed cancer centre to oversee the setting up of the Cancer Hospital in the Maldives.

The Cancer Hospital project in Maldives combines two focus areas of the India-Maldives partnership – healthcare cooperation and capacity building. India’s development partnership with Maldives is not limited to the creation of physical assets, but also lays an equal emphasis on the development and training of human resource assets. Manpower training requirements for the Cancer Hospital are already being discussed between the TMC management and Health Ministry officials on the Maldivian side, to fully operationalize the hospital once construction is complete.