MALÉ, Maldives – Homeland Minister Ali Ihusan announced that the Maldives aims to finalise arrangements for private entities to provide drug rehabilitation services by the end of this year. This initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen the nation’s drug treatment system, a key priority for President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration.

Speaking to state media about ongoing anti-drug efforts, Minister Ihusan detailed plans for the development of infrastructure for the National Drug Agency (NDA). He highlighted that the current government infrastructure is unable to provide the highest standard of care, necessitating the opening of the sector to private providers, including international entities.

“We aim to find opportunities in the Maldives for private entities to provide this treatment according to international standards,” Minister Ihusan stated. “There are individuals who desire the highest quality treatment and are willing to pay for it. However, the government’s current infrastructure cannot provide that level of treatment. Therefore, we are opening this to the private sector and also to foreign entities to come to the Maldives and provide this treatment.”

The Minister further confirmed that work to develop land allocated to the NDA in Hulhumale, as well as an area referred to as “Green,” will commence this year. He expressed confidence that the necessary rehabilitation setup to comprehensively address the drug problem will be established within the year.

President Muizzu has placed significant emphasis on establishing a robust system for rehabilitating individuals affected by drug addiction, facilitating their healthy reintegration into society. The President recently assured that religious lessons would be incorporated into drug rehabilitation programmes in the near future.

The nation has also implemented severe penalties for drug trafficking, including the death penalty for cases involving specific drug weight thresholds, following unanimous Supreme Court bench decisions.