Primary Health Care Programme has been launched in Kaafu and Vaavu Atoll respectively.
To mark the occasion, a special ceremony was held in Thulusdhoo, Kaafu Atoll. The programme was officially inaugurated by the Minister of Health, Family and Welfare, Geela Ali.
Primary Health Care, or the basic health service system, is a programme introduced to reduce Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in the Maldives, detect such illnesses early, and provide reliable, high-quality healthcare services to citizens within their communities.
The Health Ministry stated that the programme has already been rolled out across 13 atolls. The government aims to expand it to all atolls in the country by 2026.
Under this programme, medical records; patient histories will be established for every citizen aged 18 and above to help monitor general health conditions. These records will include details of past treatments. In addition, healthcare workers will conduct home visits to provide health information and offer advice and guidance to those seeking treatment for various conditions, according to the Ministry.
Unlike a system that focuses only on treatment after illness occurs, this primary healthcare system emphasises prevention, encourages healthy lifestyles, and enables early detection of diseases. Based on experiences from other countries and guidance from global health organisations, the Ministry noted that this is one of the most reliable ways to deliver equitable healthcare services to communities.
Furthermore, during the ceremony held in Kaafu Atoll to support the strengthening of this primary healthcare system, the communication campaign for the “Primary Health Care Revitalisation Programme” was also officially launched.