ADK Hospital enters Maldives medical tourism market

ADK Hospital and MV Medicals are to develop medical tourism in the Maldives in an effort to boost public confidence in the health sector by treating foreign patients.

An agreement was signed Wednesday by ADK’s Ahmed Afaal and MV Medicals’ Abdul Jaleel Hussain.

Under the agreement, MV Medicals is tasked with bringing foreign patients into the Maldives and Jaleel said they would be targeting the Middle East and Africa market.

He said it was easy for foreign nationals to travel to the Maldives, local media reported.

“For example, a person from Africa who wants to travel to India will have to spend the same amount as they have to spend for the treatment in order to obtain a visa and other facilities. But, here things are very convenient.”

Jaleel also said medical tourism would increase public confidence in the health sector and reduce the number of Maldivians who travel abroad for treatment.

Afaal said the two companies were prepared to overcome challenges to ensure the success of a concept new to the Maldives.

“We know this is a big challenge. But we climbed this level to not back down. Now we will continue to climb up,” he was quoted as saying by local media.

He added that it would be a success “to treat eight to 10 foreign nationals during the first year.”

Photo: ADK Hospital