Minister of Health, Family and Welfare Geela Ali has said the expansion of specialist healthcare services in the Maldives has reduced the number of patients travelling abroad for treatment under the Aasandha health insurance scheme.

Speaking in Parliament in response to a question from a lawmaker, the minister said the government has significantly expanded specialist medical services in recent years, allowing more patients to receive treatment locally.

She said healthcare spending should be viewed as an investment in improving the nation's wellbeing rather than simply a financial expense. The government's long-term goal, she added, is to strengthen the country's healthcare system by providing more advanced treatments domestically and reducing dependence on overseas medical care.

The minister revealed that the number of patients referred abroad through Aasandha fell by 338 between 2023 and 2025. Excluding cancer-related cases, overseas referrals declined by 821 over the same period.

Despite the overall reduction, cancer-related referrals have continued to rise, making cancer the primary reason patients are still sent overseas. In 2025 alone, 483 patients were referred abroad for cancer treatment and related services.

She also noted that 1,638 patients travelled overseas for cancer-related diagnostic tests in 2023, increasing to 1,996 in 2024 and 2,000 in 2025. These figures include patients who travelled abroad multiple times for treatment.

The minister reiterated that the government's priority is to establish more specialist healthcare services in the Maldives, enabling patients to access advanced treatment within the country and further reducing the need for overseas referrals.