Healthcare for visitors in the Maldives: hospitals and help

The public health system is built in three tiers, built to reach a country spread across hundreds of kilometres of sea.

• Island level. Health centres on inhabited islands give primary care: minor illness, wounds, first aid, basic medicines and checks. Public policy aims to have a facility on every inhabited island, even small ones.
• Atoll and regional level. Larger hospitals in the atolls handle maternity care, some specialist clinics and more serious cases. In 2026 the government said several regional hospitals were being upgraded towards tertiary care, and new health centres were being built.
• Tertiary level. The fullest care is in the capital area. The UK government’s travel advice says the only fully equipped hospitals are in Malé and Hulhumalé.

In practice, this means a local island can stabilise you and treat everyday problems, but anything complex means a transfer. On most local islands, that transfer is by boat.

Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH)

IGMH in Malé is the country’s largest government hospital and its national referral centre for tertiary care. Patients are sent here from across the atolls, and it also treats foreign patients. It has been expanded in recent years, with new wards and a surgical wing reported in national news.

Hulhumalé Hospital

Hulhumalé Hospital is the only government hospital in Hulhumalé, close to Velana International Airport. Its emergency room was enlarged in 2025, with more emergency beds and a resuscitation room, as reported by Atoll Times. Both hospitals are run under the state’s Malé City group of hospitals.

There are also private hospitals and clinics in the Malé area. This guide does not name or compare them. Your insurer or your guesthouse can tell you which facilities your policy works with.

On a local island, the health centre is the first stop for almost everything. Staff are usually a doctor and nurses, sometimes with a small pharmacy counter attached. Expect:

• treatment for fevers, stomach upsets, ear infections and small injuries
• cleaning and dressing of cuts, including coral scrapes
• first aid and stabilisation before a transfer
• limited stock of medicines and few diagnostic tests

Opening hours and services vary from island to island. Your guesthouse will know the local pattern and can call ahead for you.

A local example: Dhiffushi

Dhiffushi Health Centre is the island’s government clinic, with a doctor and nursing staff for minor illness and first aid. Serious cases are sent on to Malé, about 40 to 50 minutes away by speedboat. The government has announced plans to run the centre around the clock and add X-ray and scan services. It is a fair picture of what most local islands near Malé offer.

Pharmacies in the Maldives must be licensed by the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA). Pharmacists need an MFDA-issued pharmacist card to work in a registered pharmacy, and the authority asks the public to check that the pharmacy is licensed.

What this means for you:

• Malé and Hulhumalé have many pharmacies, with a wide range of common medicines.
• Local islands may have one small pharmacy, often near the health centre, with basic stock only. Don’t count on finding a specific brand or strength.
• Bring enough of your regular medicines for the whole trip, plus a few days spare in case the weather delays your boat. Pharmacy hours on local islands can change in Ramadan, so stock up first.
• Keep medicines in their original packaging with a copy of your prescription.

Controlled medicines for personal use need a valid prescription, and narcotics and psychotropic substances are prohibited (Maldives Customs). Some medicines that are legal at home are restricted here. Read our guide to bringing medicines into the Maldives before you pack.

A small first-aid kit is worth its space: plasters, antiseptic, rehydration salts, an antihistamine and your usual pain relief.

Save these in your phone before you arrive:

The single national emergency number, 911, came in from November 2024. On a local island, it is often fastest to call the health centre directly or ask your guesthouse host, who will know who to ring. Keep your guesthouse’s number and your accommodation address with you on day trips.

Moving a patient between islands is a routine job here. The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Coast Guard and sea ambulances carry out medical evacuations every week; in one week of June 2026, the MNDF reported 65 of them across the country. Air transfers are also used for distant atolls.

For visitors, a few things matter:

• Weather can slow things down. In rough seas, especially in the southwest monsoon, a transfer can take longer or be delayed.
• Seaplanes fly in daylight only, so night transfers from far-flung islands depend on boats or other aircraft.
• Serious conditions may need treatment abroad. Some care is not available in the country, and an international evacuation is expensive.

This is why travel insurance with medical evacuation and repatriation cover is not optional. Our travel insurance guide explains what to check in the small print.

The Maldives has a national health insurance scheme called Aasandha, but it is for Maldivians. National news reported in October 2025 that Parliament was still debating whether even foreign spouses of Maldivians should be covered. Tourists are not part of it.

As a visitor, you will normally:

• pay at the health centre, hospital or pharmacy, then claim from your insurer
• need your passport and insurance details when you register
• call your insurer early if you are admitted or referred to a hospital

Some facilities may ask for payment or a guarantee from your insurer before treatment. Keep every receipt and medical report for your claim.

Most visits to a local health centre are for problems you can avoid with a little care. Each has its own guide on this site:

• Sunburn and heat. The sun near the equator is strong even when it is cloudy. See sun safety in the Maldives.
• Dengue. The Health Protection Agency reports dengue cases every month, with more in wetter months. See mosquitoes and dengue.
• Coral cuts and stings. Small scrapes get infected quickly in the heat. Clean them straight away. See marine stings and first aid.
• Stomach upsets. Drink bottled or treated water and take care with ice. See drinking water in the Maldives.
• Boat and sea safety. Wear the life jacket and listen to the crew.

For the wider picture, from currents to local laws, read is the Maldives safe?

The Maldives has very few recompression chambers, and some of them are on resort islands rather than in hospitals. A diver with decompression sickness may face a long boat or air transfer to reach one. That is one reason to dive conservatively:

• stay within the 30 m recreational depth limit set by the Recreational Diving Regulation
• dive with a licensed dive centre that carries oxygen
• leave 24 hours between your last dive and your flight, as Maldivian rules require
• check that your insurance covers diving and chamber treatment

If you are new to diving, our learning to dive guide covers training and safety.