The infrastructure ministry and Chinese embassy signed an implementation agreement to build a 112-bed tertiary hospital in Villimalé, dubbed the China-Maldives Friendship Hospital, with a total built-up area of 12,890 square metres. "The facility will include outpatient and emergency services, diagnostic and treatment areas, inpatient wards, and administrative offices" and medical equipment, the ministry said. The project is now to be put out to tender to select a Chinese contractor. Construction is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2026.
The government is reviewing stipends offered to Maldivians studying abroad on student loans, Higher Education Minister Dr Ali Haidar said on a podcast with the president's spokeswoman. The review follows complaints about fixed stipend rates that have not been adjusted for inflation or updated to reflect higher living costs. Haidar blamed payment delays on students failing to submit the required documents in advance. In each cycle, payments are processed two months ahead of the deadline and the ministry needs to verify information submitted by students and confirm whether the student is undertaking study at their university, he said. Haidar claimed that 75 percent of stipend and tuition fee payments are processed without delay.
Sri Lanka should prioritise expanding business and employment opportunities in the Maldives, where around 21,000 Sri Lankan expatriates currently generate an estimated US$ 129 million in annual remittances, former Sri Lanka–Maldives Business Council president Sudesh Mendis told the Daily News.
The Health Protection Agency advised precautionary measures following a nationwide spike in dengue fever and respiratory illnesses. Cases of diarrhoea and vomiting in the Greater Malé area have also risen in recent weeks. The agency advised people with flu-like symptoms to wear masks, practice hand hygiene using soap or sanitiser, avoid visiting children or those who are unwell, and refrain from going to work or school. To reduce the risk of dengue, the public was urged to eliminate mosquito breeding sites and use mosquito repellent. HPA also advised proper storage or refrigeration of food, and maintaining hydration in cases of vomiting.
The Maldives Food and Drug Authority raised alarm about different types of medication being advertised and sold online by unlicensed parties. MFDA said it had noticed that Semaglutide used to manage blood sugar levels for diabetes patients was being advertised as a weight loss medication and that Azelaic Acid used for treatment in dermatology was being advertised as a medication for skin care or face wash.
MP Qasim Ibrahim's Jumhooree Party decided to endorse ruling party candidates in the April 4 local council elections, with the exception of the business magnate's native Maamigili constituency.
