🇲🇻 Maldives Healthcare Guide
Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Male is the Maldives' main facility, supplemented by ADK Hospital and the newer Tree Top Hospital on Hulhumale. Most resort islands have a small clinic with a resident doctor, but anything beyond basic treatment — from fractures to dive-related injuries — requires a speedboat or seaplane transfer to Male. Knowing your resort's transfer protocol and having your medical summary saved and accessible offline in your bag is more useful than you'd think for a destination that feels so well-managed on the surface.
Quick facts
- Emergency number: 112
- Healthcare system: mixed
- Average GP visit: $20 USD
- EHIC/GHIC accepted: No
- Language barrier: medium
Healthcare overview
Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) and ADK Hospital in Malé are the Maldives’ main facilities, with Tree Top Hospital on Hulhumalé adding modern private capacity. The challenge is geography: the Maldives’ 1,190 islands spread across 800 km of ocean, and most resort atolls have a small clinic or resident doctor at best. Serious cases from outer atolls are transferred to Malé by seaplane or speedboat, which can take hours depending on weather and distance.
Resort atoll clinics
Most resort islands have a basic clinic or nurse. Serious medical issues require transfer to Malé, which can take 1–4 hours by seaplane or speedboat.
Tree Top Hospital
Tree Top Hospital on Hulhumalé (adjacent to the airport) is the Maldives’ newest and best-equipped facility, with growing specialist departments.
Vaccinations
Recommended
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Typhoid
Prescriptions and pharmacies
Malé has pharmacies stocking common medications. Resort islands have minimal or no pharmacy access. Carry your full medication supply for your entire stay, including a buffer for weather delays that can prevent transfer between atolls.
Weather-dependent transfers
Seaplane and speedboat transfers between atolls are weather-dependent. Carry extra medication to cover 2–3 days of unexpected delays.
Tips for travellers
IGMH and Tree Top Hospital in Malé cover basic specialist care, but complex chronic conditions are referred to Colombo (Sri Lanka), Trivandrum or Kochi (India), or Singapore. Having your treatment plan accessible in English helps both Maldivian and Indian/Sri Lankan specialists continue your care. For resort visitors, having your medical history accessible means the resort doctor can make informed decisions about whether to manage locally or transfer.
Resort doctor decision support
Your accessible medical history helps a resort doctor decide between local management and Malé transfer, avoiding unnecessary emergency evacuations.