Minister of Health Dr. Abdulla Khaleel has emphasised the aim of controlling communicable diseases among expatriates in the Maldives that plan to stay for an extended period, stating that they must undergo medical checkups. He made the remarks during a ceremony introducing a new regulation aimed at implementing medical checkups for expatriates residing long-term in the Maldives.
The inauguration of the regulation was carried out by Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan, with the goal of reforming and strengthening the system of medical checkups for foreigners residing in the Maldives, following a decision by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Khaleel highlighted President Dr. Muizzu's prior research on the matter, undertaken before he assumed office. As such, he said that the research revealed that expatriates entering the Maldives were not subjected to medical checkups.
Additionally, Minister Khaleel underscored that the new regulation aims to safeguard the health of Maldivian citizens and maintain the well-being of expatriates. He stressed the regulation's role in controlling communicable diseases within the Maldives and urged healthcare providers to adhere to its provisions.
Meanwhile, Minister Ihusaan pointed out the inadequacies in the previous procedure for assessing both legal and illegal expatriates, emphasising the necessity for foreign medical institutions to meet adequate standards and service providers to comply with the regulation. He also urged compliance with the new regulation and discouraged any actions contrary to it.
Under the previous regulations, only individuals entering the Maldives with a work permit were subject to medical assessments. However, the new regulation extends the requirement to expatriates intending to stay long-term on various visa categories, including dependent visas, work visas, resident visas, student visas, corporate resident visas, and applicants for marriage visas, who must undergo both on-arrival and annual medical checkups.
The he new regulation also includes testing for eradicated diseases and mandates treatment for infected individuals. The government has reduced the timeframe for medical checkups after arrival in the Maldives from 30 days to 15 days.