The government will deploy specialised medical launches to atoll hospitals by the end of January under the Maldives Health Line initiative, significantly strengthening healthcare delivery in the outer atolls.
Health Minister Abdulla Nazim said dedicated marine transport is vital to improving referrals and coordination between regional hospitals and island health centres. He noted that the launches will ease logistical challenges for specialist teams, enabling regular outreach clinics and on-site consultations in remote islands, and improving access to secondary and specialised care.
Seven medical launches are being allocated to regional and atoll hospitals that currently lack such facilities. The minister confirmed that all atolls will have dedicated launches in place by the end of the month to support the Health Line system.
The Ministry of Health said the initiative is being implemented in partnership with the Asian Development Bank under its Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility (APVAX) project, aimed at strengthening health system resilience nationwide.
Officials said the launches will support patient transfers and emergency evacuations, cold-chain transport of vaccines, and timely transfer of laboratory samples. The vessels are equipped with medical-grade facilities to enhance pre-hospital care and emergency response. Three of the seven launches have already arrived in Malé City, with the remaining vessels expected shortly.
Under the broader Maldives Health Line programme, a total of 20 high-speed multipurpose medical launches will be distributed across all 20 atolls, improving healthcare access, emergency preparedness, and equity.
The deployment forms part of a wider health sector reform underway in 2026, which includes the construction of new hospitals and health centres, upgrades to existing facilities, decentralisation of healthcare administration, expansion of the sea ambulance fleet, increased specialist deployment to atolls, and the introduction of advanced diagnostic and dental services outside Malé.
