The Minister of Health, Family and Welfare Geela Ali has stated that many of the patients being sent for treatment overseas under Aasandha are for cancer treatments, and that 2,000 patients had been sent overseas for treatment last year.
While answering a question posed by North Galolhu Constituency MP Mohamed Ibrahim during today's Parliament sitting, Minister Geela said that statistics from the last three years show that cancer patients were the highest number sent for overseas treatment, and to do difficult tests that are unavailable in Maldives. After stating that, the minister shared the statistics around the number of cancer patients that left for overseas treatment in the last three years.
"1,638 cancer patients were sent overseas for treatment in 2023. That number rose to 1,996 in 2024. It rose once again in 2025, with more than 2,000 cancer patients going overseas for treatment," said Geela.
According to the minister, the statistics include those who went for the first time and those who have gone multiple times, with those from neighboring countries included in the statistics as well.
As cancer is something that needs to be detected early on for an increased chance of survival, cancer identification services being made available is the most important thing the current government has done, said Minister Geela. She said the service has been expanded to Male' and other atolls as well.
Mammography services used in screening for breast cancer have been established in the Male' region, five regional hospitals, Fuvahmulah Hospital and Baa Atoll Hospital, as was said by Geela.
"As of now, 750 people have made use of this service in Maldives," stated Geela.
She went on to say that the government has decided to begin establishing cervical cancer testing services in all atolls.
As per the Health Minister, chemotherapy, a form of cancer treatment, is available in Maldives, with only 39 patients having gone overseas for the treatment.
Minister Geela said that a five-bed facility for cancer treatment has already been established at the Hulhumale' Hospital, and that there has been an increase in early cancer detection and patients being treated.
