Maldives to Establish National Disability Service and Therapy Centre in Hulhumalé

The government is set to establish a National Disability Service and Therapy Centre in Hulhumalé, offering a wide range of therapy services. 

The initiative was outlined by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu during his third Presidential Address at the opening session of Parliament in 2026, with plans to expand therapy services to the atolls.

Currently, therapy services in the Maldives are largely limited to the Malé region, with access to reliable and comprehensive care in government hospitals, private clinics, and hospitals remaining limited. The new centre aims to address these challenges, enhancing the availability of services and improving the existing healthcare system.

Construction of the state-of-the-art therapy centre is expected to begin in mid-2026, with the development of branches planned across all cities. Therapy services will also be covered under Aasandha, the national social health insurance scheme, from 1 January 2026. As part of this expansion, a portion of therapy services will be provided directly through the centre.

The Maldives faces a shortage of qualified therapy professionals. To tackle this, a national initiative will provide degree-level education and training to 250 Maldivians in the therapy sector. Graduates of this programme will be offered employment contracts to increase the number of locally trained therapists.

In the short term, the Government plans to recruit 50 therapists within the next six months to address immediate shortages. The recruitment will include speech therapists, occupational therapists, behavioural therapists, physiotherapists, and psychotherapists, providing crucial support for the growing demand for specialised care.