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Indian team visits Maldives for preliminary survey of Cancer Hospital

Lamya Abdulla
06 September 2021, MVT 12:51
(FILE) Laamu Gan: a team from Mumbai Tata Memorial Center arrived in Maldives to start the preliminary work of building the hospital -- Photo: Gan Council
Lamya Abdulla
06 September 2021, MVT 12:51

A team from India has arrived in Maldives to work on developing a cancer hospital in Laamu atoll Gan.

This hospital is being funded by loans provided to Maldives by India.

Indian High Commission in Maldives said a team from Mumbai Tata Memorial Center (TMC) arrived in Maldives on September 2.

TMC is a hospital well renowned in India for the treatments they provide to cancer patients. Indian High Commission said, in addition to providing healthcare, they are also well known for their research and the trainings they conduct for people in this field.

The team had visited Gan and conducted a preliminary survey of the facilities available in the island.

This hospital will be developed under the USD 800 million line-of-credit facility provided by India's Exim Bank to Maldives. After a grace period of five years, Maldives will have a 20 years to repay the money borrowed under this facility. An interest rate of 1.75 percent will be applied on repayments.

This hospital will provide rehabilitation treatments to cancer patients in addition to tests as well. Maldives plans to introduce medical tourism after this hospital is developed.

Healthcare workers and other staff required to run the hospital will be trained under this project. Indian High Commission said 250 people will be trained, including doctors, nurses, technicians and other medical staff as well. Maldivians will be prioritized when providing the trainings.

Even though the initial plan was to develop a cancer hospital in Hulhumale', it was later changed as the government plans to decentralise the healthcare system of Maldives.

Cancer treatments are available in IGMH, ADK, Treetop and Hulhumale' Hospital. However, as most treatments are still unavailable, cancer patients have to still travel abroad quite often.

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