Foreign Minister Dr Abdul Samad Abdulla has been admitted to intensive care in Singapore’s Mount Elizabeth Hospital after suffering a severe heart attack.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has described the minister’s condition as “very critical”.
Dr Samad, 67, has served in numerous roles for both the Maldives Health Ministry and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
He has also served as the first High Commissioner of the Republic of Maldives to the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh and was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in March 2012.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman explained that Dr Samad had originally travelled to Singapore for medical purposes. Local media has reported that the purpose of the trip was to undergo kidney dialysis.
It has also been reported that Samad underwent heart bypass surgery 15 years ago.