The capital Male’ region would see 117 more hospital beds included in the health care system, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Male’ City Group of Hospitals Ibrahim Abdul Razzaq Haleem said Tuesday.
The hospital beds will be added to boost the capacity of Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) and Hulhumale’ Hospital, according to Abdul Razzaq Haleem.
The entire health system of the Maldives has relied on hospitals in the Male’ area. However, the quality of health services has not improved in the most populated city in the country.
One of the biggest obstacles to introducing and expanding health services is the bed ratio that does not meet the population.
Speaking to PSM News, Abdul Razzaq Haleem said that patients are referred to government hospitals in the Male’ area from different across the country, which overburdens the capacity in these hospitals. He noted that the influx remains the biggest obstacle to providing good services to the people, adding that there have been 316 beds in the health system in Male’ for the past 30 years.
Therefore, the current efforts to find a solution will see a change early next year with additional beds set up at IGMH and Hulhumale Hospital, he said.
"The former administrative block of IGMH has been completely vacated and we are building a ward there. The 75-bed ward will be completed this year and will start services early next year,” Abdul Razzaq Haleem revealed. Additionally, the third floor of the six storey Hulhumale Hospital will be used as a ward with 28 more beds, he said.
These projects, which are part of a more comprehensive plan, would boost the bed capacity of government hospitals in Male’ area to 433, according to Abdul Razzaq Haleem.
The wider plan, Abdul Razzaq Haleem referred to, includes the new Cancer Hospital, Thalassemia Hospital, Villimale Tertiary Hospital and the extension building of the Hulhumale Hospital.