Kuwait Fund loans Maldives $9.8m to build island hospitals
The loan will be used to improve the quality of existing health services in small islands in the north and south, Finance Ministry said in a statement.
Maldives has signed a loan of USD 9.8 million (MVR 151 million) with the Kuwait Fund to develop hospitals in small islands.
The loan agreement with the Kuwait Fund was signed on Monday, the Ministry of Finance said in a statement. The loan agreement was signed by:
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Finance Minister Dr Mohamed Shafeeg signed on behalf of the government
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The Kuwait Fund was represented by its Acting Director General Waleed Albahar
The statement did not disclose much details of the loan, but said:
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The loan will be used to improve the quality of existing health services in small islands in the north and south
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The loan covers the construction of hospital buildings and medical equipment in the islands
The Ministry of Finance said the loan will eventually reduce the cost of travelling from one island to another to attain health services. They will also be able to provide quality health services to the public and tourists in these islands through decentralisation.
"This will ensure timely access to secondary health care," the finance ministry said in a statement.