The Human Rights Measurement Initiative finds that Maldives is fulfilling 72.0% of what it should be fulfilling for the right to health based on its level of income. When looking at the right to health with respect to children, Maldives achieves 98.0% of what is expected based on its current income. In regards to the right to health amongst the adult population, the country achieves 99.7% of what is expected based on the nation's level of income. Maldives falls into the "very bad" category when evaluating the right to reproductive health because the nation is fulfilling only 18.2% of what the nation is expected to achieve based on the resources (income) it has available.
Life expectancy at birth in Maldives was 77 years in 2011. Infant mortality fell from 34 per 1,000 in 1990 to 15 in 2004. There is increasing disparity between health in the capital and on the other islands. There is also a problem of malnutrition. Imported food is expensive.
On 24 May 2021, the Maldives experienced the world's fastest-growing COVID-19 outbreak, recording the highest number of infections per million people during the preceding seven- and fourteen-day periods, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.[8] Medical professionals warned that the rising demand for COVID-19 care could affect their capacity to manage other health emergencies in the country.[9]
Preventive and public health falls within the remit of the Health Protection Agency.
The Society for Health Education provides sexual and reproductive health information and services to young people and is supported by the United Nations Population Fund.
The table shows some key health statistics and their trends over recent years.
The proportion of health expenditure in the national budget increased from 8.7% in 1998 to 10.9% in 2000. Total expenditure on health in 2001 was $98. Maldives has a universal health insurance scheme, Aasandha.
The Maldives operates a four-tier health system.
There are two hospitals in Malé, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, which is public and the ADK Hospital which is commercial. On all the inhabited atolls there are primary care facilities, and secondary care with beds on the larger islands. The atoll-based hospitals have trouble getting supplies of medicine:
In 2000 there was a total of 470 hospital beds, a ratio of one bed for each 577 inhabitants.
Despite notable progress in health outcomes, the Maldives faces unique health system challenges that are mostly attributable to its geography, limited resources and population distribution. There are still persistent issues that affect equitable access to resources, workforce capacity, infrastructure and the ability to respond to emergent health needs.
The Maldives faces a double burden of disease with high incidence rates of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), persistent infectious diseases, alongside unique challenges as a result of its peculiar geography.