Maldivian anesthesiologist and pain specialist Dr Asadh Mohamed Shaheed has been appointed President of the SAARC Association of Anesthesiologists (SAARC-AA), placing the Maldives in a prominent regional leadership position in the specialised fields of anesthesiology, critical care and professional medical development.
The presidency of SAARC-AA rotates among member states every two years, providing participating countries with an important platform to contribute to the development of anesthesiology services across South Asia. Dr Asadh’s appointment is expected to strengthen the Maldives’ engagement with regional medical institutions while creating new opportunities for collaboration in specialist training, research, knowledge exchange and workforce development.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced the appointment and highlighted its importance to the Government’s efforts to strengthen specialised healthcare services in the Maldives. Through Dr Asadh’s leadership of the regional association, Maldivian anesthesiologists, doctors, anesthesia technicians and nurses are expected to gain greater opportunities to collaborate with specialists and professional institutions across SAARC member states.
The Ministry said closer engagement through SAARC-AA would support the exchange of professional expertise, development of joint training programmes and improved access to technical knowledge and resources. Such cooperation is particularly important as the Maldives continues to expand healthcare services across the country and strengthen the capacity of hospitals to provide increasingly specialised surgical, emergency and critical-care treatment.
Director General of Health Services Dr Ahmed Ashraf highlighted the need to expand the number of locally trained professionals working in anesthesiology. At present, only 11 Maldivian-trained anesthesiologists are serving in public hospitals, while expatriate professionals continue to make up a significant proportion of the specialist workforce required to maintain anesthesia services.
The shortage has increased the importance of establishing sustainable local training pathways for doctors, nurses and technical professionals. Developing a stronger national workforce would help the Maldives progressively build greater domestic capacity while ensuring that hospitals across the country have access to appropriately trained professionals as demand for surgical and critical-care services continues to increase.
Speaking to PSM News following a meeting attended by Minister of Health Geela Ali and senior health officials, Dr Ashraf outlined plans to develop dedicated anesthesia training opportunities for nurses and technicians through the School of Medicine of the Maldives National University (MNU), in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education. The initiative is expected to complement specialist medical training by developing a broader multidisciplinary workforce capable of supporting anesthesia and critical-care services.
The Government’s emphasis on strengthening local professional capacity also reflects the geographical requirements of the Maldivian healthcare system. With communities distributed across numerous islands and atolls, maintaining reliable access to surgical and specialised medical services requires trained personnel at different levels of the healthcare network. Expanding locally available expertise can support the continued development of regional and atoll-based healthcare facilities while reducing dependence on a limited pool of specialists.
Discussions with anesthesiology associations from other SAARC member states have also explored opportunities to establish regional curricula and introduce collaborative capacity-building projects. These initiatives are intended to respond to increasing demand for anesthesia services as surgical volumes grow and healthcare systems across the region expand their specialised treatment capabilities.
Regional cooperation could provide Maldivian healthcare professionals with greater exposure to specialist knowledge, clinical experience and established training systems available across South Asia. It could also enable the Maldives to contribute its own experience in delivering healthcare services within a geographically dispersed island nation, strengthening professional cooperation between SAARC countries.
Dr Asadh’s presidency is therefore expected to extend beyond institutional representation by creating a practical channel through which the Maldives can advance national healthcare priorities while contributing to regional medical development. Greater involvement in professional networks can facilitate research partnerships, continuing medical education, specialist exchanges and the development of common approaches to improving anesthesia and critical-care standards.
The Ministry affirmed that Dr Asadh’s tenure would position the Maldives as an active contributor to the advancement of healthcare within the SAARC region. The Government intends to utilise the opportunities provided through SAARC-AA to strengthen national anesthesia and critical-care capabilities, expand professional training and develop a sustainable workforce of locally trained specialists and supporting healthcare professionals.
The appointment also reflects the growing participation of Maldivian professionals in international and regional institutions. By combining regional cooperation with investments in education and workforce development at home, the Government is seeking to build stronger specialist services capable of meeting the country’s future healthcare requirements while creating greater opportunities for Maldivian medical professionals to contribute to healthcare development across South Asia.
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