The Minister of Health, Family and Welfare, Geela Ali has assured that ongoing hospital development projects across the Maldives will be completed within the current term, promising improved healthcare access for citizens nationwide.
During the Parliament sitting on 24 June, Minister Geela highlighted the various health sector projects currently underway, stating that multiple companies have been awarded contracts for the development of hospitals and health centres. While acknowledging delays in the completion timeline due to various challenges, the Minister emphasised that her Ministry is actively working to resolve these difficulties and resume stalled projects within the month.
"The hospitals will be completed during this term and will start serving the people," she said, noting that existing health facilities operate at regional hospital level with services structured at different tiers.
Providing specific timelines for key projects, the Minister announced that construction of the Hoarafushi hospital is scheduled for completion by the second quarter of next year, while the Thinadhoo hospital will be ready by the first quarter of next year. Additionally, health centres in Goidhoo and Kanditheemu will be developed within the current term.
The Himmafushi Health Centre is already being staffed, with necessary upgrades planned for the facility. Work on the Addu Equatorial Hospital is set to commence in August.
According to the Ministry of Health, 159 projects are currently underway in the health sector, including the construction of 39 new hospitals and the expansion of 94 health centres. Alongside infrastructure development, human resource expansion is also being prioritised, with 1,700 employees recruited last year and an additional 1,900 positions slated for recruitment this year.
Acknowledging long-standing challenges in the Maldives' health system, Minister Geela noted that the sector has developed infrastructurally over an extended period without a comprehensive long-term plan. She emphasised that the current administration is addressing this gap by expanding and developing health services across the atolls through new hospitals and general practitioner clinics.