President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has revealed plans to appoint mental healthcare coordinators for each atoll, in efforts to provide mental healthcare services across Maldives. President Solih made the remarks at the ceremony held to inaugurate the Centre for Mental Health in Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH).
The aim of the government to establish a mental healthcare centre is to provide treatment to mental health patients through an all-inclusive system and at national level. Establishing a national mental health centre is a pledge included in the 100-day pledge policy of the administration.
Speaking on the challenges faced in the treatment process for mental health patients, President Solih stated a suitable treatment mechanism have not been established in the country until now. He underlined the centre will ease access to quality mental healthcare treatment and medicines adding technical experts from the field will serve in the centre in the coming days.
Moreover, the president highlighted the centre will provide outpatient, inpatient services as well as multi-disciplinary approach in efforts to promote mental healthcare. He also said the centre will initiate outreach programmes in the atolls seeking to raise awareness among the public towards mental health problems.
The centre will offer emergency care, outpatient and inpatient services including diagnostics, treatment, rehabilitation and occupational therapy with a multi-disciplinary team, according to IGMH.