One stroke patient arrives at IGMH every 16 hours, hospital reveals

A person suffering from a stroke arrives at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) for treatment every 16 hours, the hospital has stated. In a video released by IGMH on social media for World Stroke Day, neurologist Dr. Salman Nizam highlighted the alarming frequency. According to IGMH statistics, 990 stroke cases were recorded at the hospital from January 2025 until yesterday. One out of every seven patients treated at IGMH this year is under the age of 45, indicating the risk among young and middle-aged people. Between 2022 and December 15, 2025, 4,633 people were found to have suffered from stroke at IGMH, including 1,849 admitted for treatment and 2,784 who sought treatment through the outpatient department. The highest number of cases among admitted patients was recorded among people aged 67. Approximately 500 people died from stroke at IGMH in the preceding four years, with 151 deaths in 2024 alone. Stroke ranks as the fourth leading cause of death in the country, according to 2019 Global Health Estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO). Heart and blood vessel diseases accounted for the highest number of deaths in 2018. The biggest single factor causing stroke in Maldivians is high blood pressure. According to a WHO STEPS survey conducted from 2020 to 2021, 23.9 percent of Maldivians between the ages of 15 and 69 have high blood pressure. Of those diagnosed, 87.8 percent used medication, but blood pressure was controlled in only 53.9 percent of patients. Elevated blood sugar levels are also a growing concern, with 14 percent of people aged 15 to 69 having higher than normal sugar levels, according to a study involving WHO, the Health Protection Agency (HPA), and the Maldives National University (MNU). The Ministry of Health notes that non-communicable diseases have become a leading cause of illness and death due to rapid lifestyle changes. The share of these diseases in the total morbidity rate has risen from 78 percent to 84 percent. The Maldives Health Profile states that heart and blood vessel diseases and diabetes have increased due to tobacco use, sugary and oily foods, and sedentary lifestyles. WHO data shows 24.6 percent of the adult population over 18 does not engage in adequate physical activity. To address the issue, the National Center for Neuroscience and Stroke was officially opened at IGMH on February 10, 2026, to provide brain and nerve disease services under one roof for the first time in the country. The hospital states the center will facilitate major surgeries using robotic technology and allow for quick stroke treatment within a nationwide connected system. Special programs will also be run in coordination with island hospitals.