Minister of Health, Family and Welfare Geela Ali has said 166 health infrastructure projects are currently underway across the Maldives.

Speaking in Parliament, the minister said the health sector has the highest number of ongoing development projects. These include government-funded initiatives as well as projects contracted to companies.

She said the projects will improve healthcare services by upgrading facilities to accommodate MRI and CT scanners, expanding dental and dialysis services, and improving infrastructure and staffing across the islands.

The minister also said the government views spending on healthcare as an investment in the country's future and has expanded access to quality medical services in recent years.

Geela noted that the number of people travelling abroad for treatment under the Aasandha scheme has fallen by 338 between 2023 and 2025. However, she said the overall decline has been offset by an increase in patients referred overseas for cancer treatment.

In 2025, 483 patients were sent abroad for cancer-related treatment. Excluding cancer referrals, overseas medical referrals under Aasandha fell by 821 cases compared with 2023, she added.