Number of Maldivians entering nursing profession rises

The number of Maldivians joining the nursing workforce is on the rise, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Health.

By the end of last year, 3,725 nurses were working across the country, including 2,487 Maldivians and 1,238 foreigners.

This marks a slight increase from 2023, which saw a total of 3,716 nurses, of which 2,370 were local and 1,346 were foreign.

More than half of the nurses continue to serve in islands outside the capital, with 1,337 local and 589 foreign nurses stationed in atolls, while 1,150 locals and 649 foreigners work in Male'.

Health Ministry noted that 90 percent of the nursing workforce remains female. In 2023, there were 3,413 female nurses and 303 male nurses.

The majority of nurses are employed by government-run health facilities, which account for 3,119 nurses, while 597 work in private institutions.