Thailand and the Republic of Maldives have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen public health cooperation. The agreement was signed on May 21, 2025, at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.
Thailand’s Deputy Minister of Public Health, Dej-is Khaothong, and the Maldives’ Minister of Health, Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, signed the agreement on the sidelines of the global health event. This is a key step towards strengthening primary healthcare services and the Maldives’ health regulatory systems.
The MoU establishes a systematic framework for collaboration across multiple public health disciplines. It focuses on strengthening the Maldives Food and Drug Authority, developing health workforce training initiatives, and improving primary care systems. Both countries also committed to increasing research into health policy and system design, and boosting digital health data exchanges and technology use.
Other parts include collaborative academic workshops, seminars, expert exchanges, and ongoing technical assistance for health promotion. The collaboration indicates a common commitment to investing in sustainable healthcare infrastructure.
In addition to the MoU, Dej-is attended high-level bilateral meetings, including discussions with the WHO SEARO Director, to promote regional collaboration in noncommunicable disease control and cross-border disease surveillance, notably between Thailand and Myanmar.
