Minister of Health Abdulla Ameen has disclosed the administration has drafted a policy to be implemented in the new normal phase.
Speaking to PSM News, Health Minister Ameen said the policy was devised in consultation with health experts and other stakeholders. The minister stated hospitals accepted patients with other illnesses even before the lockdown and hence, the administration projects an increase in the number of consultations after lifting the lockdown.
With the projections, the minister said the administration will have policies on consultations at hospitals and flu clinics. He said the priority medical facilities will be attending to the most serious other illnesses excluding COVID-19 cases.
The health minister said the administration has considered various aspects of public health in formulating how citizens should act as the country returns to a new normal phase. The minister said the authorities used the experiences of the lockdown in formulating the policy.
The minister additionally said a key focus of the policy has been providing easy access to health services to the general public. As such, he said the policy includes operating hours of private health service providers as they are considered an important element of the public health system.
Another key decision as explained by the minister is the establishment of a medical response team. He said the team will visit households and assess conditions of patients before the making a decision to take them to the hospital for further care.
The Greater Male' Region has been in lockdown after the first case was reported from the capital city on April 15, more than a month after the first COVID-19 cases were detected in the country. As a first step to ease the currently imposed restrictions, the administration has permitted to resume prayers in congregation in islands without COIVD-19 cases. Additionally, preparations to resume classes in education institutions and opening of the borders of the country to visitors are also underway.