President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said work is under way to establish additional GP clinics in Hulhumalé to address challenges in providing healthcare services in the rapidly growing residential area.
During the fourth edition of the Rayyithunge Adu programme, a medical officer working at Hulhumalé Hospital told the President that the growing population of Hulhumalé was creating difficulties in providing treatment to patients visiting the hospital. The medical officer called for a solution to the issue as the population of Hulhumalé continues to increase.
President Muizzu said efforts were under way to develop the healthcare system in a way that would ensure services are provided in line with Hulhumalé’s population. In this regard, he said separate parties had been tasked with establishing GP clinics in both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of Hulhumalé.
“GP clinics. Another location in Phase 2. The work to establish another location in Phase 1 has now been contracted and has begun. Once those two locations are completed, staff can be increased again,” President Dr Mohamed Muizzu said.
The President said the construction of the two clinics was expected to take approximately four to six months. However, he said efforts to increase staffing would continue even before the construction phase is completed, adding that preparations were already under way to begin recruiting additional medical officers.
Work is also under way to increase staffing across the healthcare sector. President Muizzu said approximately 2,000 additional employees would be added to the sector, with recruitment being carried out in separate batches.
Previously, Hulhumalé Hospital had announced that work to expand space in its medical and paediatric wards, as well as work on the Phase 2 GP clinic, was scheduled for completion in October. The Phase 2 GP clinic is being developed on the sixth floor of the Amaan Udhara building.
In addition, 28 beds are being added to Hulhumalé Hospital, of which four will be allocated to a Medical High Dependency Unit (HDU).