Health Minister Geela Ali has said specialized healthcare services and treatments should not be concentrated in Male', stressing the need to strengthen neonatal care across the country.

Speaking at the opening of a conference on the care of premature babies, Geela said every newborn should receive appropriate care at the right time, regardless of where the baby was born.

“Care provided in the first hours of a child’s life not only contributes to survival, but also has a direct impact on the child’s health, growth and quality of life in the years to come,” she said.

Strengthening newborn care is therefore not simply about improving clinical services, she said, but is “a huge investment in the future of our children and a healthier generation”.

Minister Geela said the Maldives’ geographical characteristics must be taken into account when strengthening newborn care.

“Maldives is divided into different islands. Special services and technical capacity should not be concentrated only in the capital,” she said at the ceremony held at Meerumaa Hall.

Minister Geela said neonatal care outside Male' should be expanded while the capacity of regional and provincial health centres is strengthened.

“This does not mean that each centre provides the most difficult or specialized services,” she said.

Geela said health workers at regional centres must be given greater support and that training should be treated as an ongoing process rather than a one-off exercise.

She also called for stronger collaboration between specialised teams at tertiary hospitals and health workers at regional and atoll hospitals in caring for premature babies.

Technological solutions could also be used to overcome geographical distances, she said.

Minister Geela said the discharge of premature babies and children who have suffered serious, life-threatening illnesses should not mark the end of their treatment.

She stressed the need for robust follow-up systems to monitor their growth, nutrition and health, while ensuring timely access to appropriate services.

Hospitals at different levels should therefore strengthen their referral and follow-up systems for premature babies, she said.

The conference, which began today and will run until Wednesday, is being attended by 50 participants from 19 healthcare providers across the Maldives.