Minister of Health Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim has revealed that the administration of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has been successful in expanding the health sector by adding 413 doctors, 681 nurses and 413 beds to the sector, since he assumed office in 2013.
In his official address to coincide with World Health Day 2018, Minister of Health Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, highlighted that currently half of the world's population is deprived of essential health services, while over 100 million people worldwide are pushed into poverty due to increasing health costs.
In this regard, Minister Nazim highlighted that over 200 women worldwide do not receive the right information on family planning while over 20 million children are deprived of proper and adequate vaccination.
Briefing on the current health situation in Maldives, Minister Nazim revealed that over 96% of children are born in health centres under the supervision qualified industry professionals.
In addition 99%of the population has received the proper and adequate vaccinations.
Furthermore the minister noted that, during the administration of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom the total expenditure on the health sector has increased by 130%.
Minister Nazim noted that President Yameen has been successful in expanding the scope of the industry by expanding the scope of Maldivian healthcare into fields such as cardiology, kidney defect detection and dental care in the past four years.
Noting that the first multi-specialty hospital owned by a private company has been established during the current administration, Minister Nazim emphasized that the first tertiary hospital of the country is all set to be inaugurated this year at Addu City.
The minister added that under the local doctors' development policy the administration has sent 190 doctors for various training in the past four years from which 52 doctors were sent for specialization while 138 students were sent on government MBBS scholarships.
The Minister concluded by highlighting the various achievements Maldives has attained in eliminating diseases such as measles and malaria and said that it is high time that all should join hands to make the country a healthy environment for all citizens.
The World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every year on April 7, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as other related organisations. This year the day is celebrated under the theme "Universal Health Coverage".