Government of Japan Hands Over Eight Ambulances to Ministry of Health under GGP Scheme

On Thursday, over 8 reconditioned ambulances were handed over to Minister of Health, Ahmed Naseem from the Ambassador of Japan Mrs. Takeuchi Midori at a ceremony held at Orange Hiya Building in Hulhumale’ which cooperating under Grant Assistant for Grass-Roots Human Security Project.

This aid aligns with the terms of the Grant Contract inked on February 7, 2022, between the Embassy of Japan in Maldives and the Ministry of Health. The Government of Japan committed to providing assistance in the form of 8 refurbished ambulances equipped with 8 sets of 12 medical equipment, including ALS bags, oxygen cylinders, bag valve masks, spinal boards, and other medical supplies, valued at USD 159,131, sourced from Japan.

As part of this assistance, the Ministry is set to distribute 2 ambulances to Hulhumalé and 1 ambulance each to 6 local islands, namely:
· HA. Horafushi,
· HA. Kelaa,
· HDh. Kulhudhuffushi,
· L. Gan,
· Gn. Fuvahmulah,
· S. Hithadhoo.

This aid will serve as a valuable addition to the Government of Maldives' ongoing endeavors to enhance the emergency response capabilities of its healthcare system. In October 2019, the Ministry of Health received a generous donation from the Government of Japan in the form of 21 ambulances, worth approximately USD 1.4 million. These ambulances were then distributed to different islands across 15 atolls in the Maldives, with each island receiving one ambulance. This donation was made possible through a grant of 300 million Japanese Yen (equivalent to USD 2.8 million) that the Government of Japan committed to the Maldives' Health Sector. The grant was part of the "Economic and Social Development Programme" and was formalized through an Exchange of Notes signed between the two governments in June 2018.

The Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects is a component of Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) program, which is being carried out by the Embassy of Japan in Maldives. It aims to empower people at the grassroots level and foster sustainable development in various areas such as education, environment, health, transportation, and energy. The GGP has been implemented since 1996 and has made significant contributions to the Maldives' development.