Dharumavantha Hospital to Expand Cardiac Care With New Biplane Catheter Lab

Dharumavantha Hospital will establish an additional cardiac catheterisation laboratory to enhance the Maldives' capacity for advanced cardiovascular and neurological treatments. The expansion, confirmed by Abdul Razzaq Haleem, CEO of the Malé City Group of Hospitals, aims to reduce the reliance on overseas medical travel for specialized procedures. The new facility will be located on the hospital's 11th floor and will feature a biplane system, a significant upgrade from the existing single-plane technology. This advanced imaging capability will allow medical teams to perform more complex diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, particularly in the fields of brain and spine surgery. Funding for the project has already been secured, with the installation of specialized equipment scheduled for the third quarter of this year. While Dharumavantha focuses on this expansion, CEO Abdul Razzaq Haleem also noted the urgent need to upgrade the existing catheter lab at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), which has been operational for approximately a decade. A catheter lab serves as a critical hub for treating cardiovascular conditions. By inserting a thin tube into the blood vessels, doctors can use real-time imaging to identify blockages and deploy stents to restore essential blood flow. The hybrid lab already present at Dharumavantha supports endovascular and interventional radiology, and the new biplane addition will further solidify the hospital's role as a tertiary care center. Currently, catheterization services in the Maldives are centralized at Dharumavantha and IGMH, with additional support provided via the Equatorial Hospital in Addu City through a collaboration with IGMH. This strategic expansion is part of a broader government initiative to strengthen national healthcare infrastructure, following recent additions of maternity care and pediatric emergency services at Dharumavantha.