A cancer patient is being registered every 2-3 Days: Minister calls alarming trend
Health Minister Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim has stressed that the government is giving top priority to making costly cancer medicines and diagnostic tests available to patients.
Speaking at a World Cancer Day symposium, he noted that many cancers are fully curable when detected early and treated promptly, and that vaccination can provide full protection against certain types of cancer.
He also underscored the importance of prevention through healthy lifestyle choices.
Cancer can often be prevented and, when caught early, successfully treated. Our focus is to remove financial and access barriers so patients receive the care they need without delay
the minister said
Minister Nazim outlined ongoing efforts in the Maldives, including strengthening the national cancer registry, expanding screening programmes, and starting cancer treatment services in islands.
He added that government policy prioritises hassle-free access to high-priced medicines and tests via Aasandha, as well as better psychological support and palliative care.
A cancer patient is being registered once in every two to three days, this is a very concerning thing,
Health Minister said
According to the minister, over 1,900 cancer patients have been registered in the past eight years, with cancer now accounting for 17 percent of deaths in the country.
Health Protection Agency (HPA) data show new annual cancer cases rising from 137 in 2020 to 244 in 2022, before declining to 111 in 2025.
The most common cancers in the Maldives include breast, lung, blood, thyroid, and prostate cancers.
Research indicates that around 40 percent of cancers are linked to unhealthy lifestyle choices and avoidable risk factors such as smoking, exposure to secondhand smoke, poor diet, areca nut use, physical inactivity, and excess body weight.
Advertisement
