Dr. Ahmed Rasheed

Dr. Ahmed Rasheed is a consultant physician at Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in Malé — the Maldives' main public referral hospital. With 13 years of internal medicine experience, he provides adult medical care for Maldivians and the country's large resort worker population.

As a small island nation, the Maldives has limited specialist medical capacity, and Dr. Rasheed is one of the senior physicians managing the full range of adult medical conditions in Malé. Diabetes and hypertension are highly prevalent in the Maldives, driven by a high-sugar traditional diet, sedentary lifestyle, and genetic predisposition.

For conditions requiring subspecialist investigation or procedures beyond IGMH's capacity — cardiology interventions, advanced oncology, complex surgery — he facilitates referrals to Sri Lanka or India, which are the primary medical evacuation destinations for Maldivian patients.

Dr. Rasheed completed his MBBS at a university in Sri Lanka or India — the standard pathway for Maldivian medical graduates, given that the Maldives has no domestic medical school. He obtained his MD in Internal Medicine through postgraduate clinical training, followed by the MRCP (UK) from the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom — an internationally recognized qualification in internal medicine requiring rigorous examination across basic sciences and clinical practice.

He participates in continuing medical education through the Maldives Medical Association and through online MRCP-affiliated clinical update programs. He has attended CME workshops organized by regional partner institutions in Sri Lanka and India focused on diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and non-communicable disease management relevant to the Maldivian population.

Dr. Rasheed's internal medicine practice covers diabetes mellitus management (both type 1 and type 2, including insulin optimization and diabetic foot assessment), hypertension, chronic kidney disease monitoring and nephrology liaison, dyslipidaemia, thyroid disorders (hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism management), and general acute medical admissions. He manages respiratory infections including pneumonia, performs diagnostic procedures including diagnostic pleural aspiration, ascitic tap, and lumbar puncture, and administers IV antibiotic management for complex infections. For conditions requiring subspecialist investigation or technology beyond IGMH's current capacity — cardiology interventions, oncology, complex nephrology — he facilitates organized referrals to Sri Lanka or India.

Dr. Rasheed participates in Maldives Medical Association continuing education activities and contributes to non-communicable disease and diabetes awareness programs in the Maldives. He has contributed to clinical audit reports on diabetes glycaemic control and hypertension management outcomes at IGMH, providing data to the Maldives Ministry of Health's NCD surveillance program. He participates in WHO Maldives Country Office diabetes and NCD monitoring activities and has been involved in community diabetes screening programs conducted in Male and outer atolls.

Dr. Rasheed sees international patients at IGMH including resort workers employed across the Maldives' extensive tourism sector, tourists requiring internal medicine assessment or urgent care during their stay, and expatriates residing in Male. The Maldives' status as a major international tourism destination means IGMH regularly manages patients from diverse nationalities requiring medical attention.

He consults in Dhivehi and English, making him accessible to the predominantly English-speaking international patient population. Video consultations are available for follow-up care, diabetes or hypertension monitoring, and second opinions. For complex conditions requiring subspecialist investigation beyond IGMH's current capacity, he assists with organized medical evacuation to Sri Lanka or India.

Dr. Rasheed has been recognized by Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital for his sustained contributions to internal medicine services over his 13-year career at the institution. He received acknowledgment from IGMH's clinical management team for his leadership in the hospital's diabetes management program and for his contributions to diabetic foot assessment and wound care protocols.

He is an active member of the Maldives Medical Association and has been acknowledged for his participation in the Maldives Diabetes Society's public awareness activities and diabetes screening programs in the Male atoll. He contributes to continuing medical education for junior doctors and nurses at IGMH on diabetes management and internal medicine procedures.