Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) has introduced a separate service for COVID-19 related medical emergencies, with the hotline 100.
Speaking at a press conference held at HEOC, Spokesperson at the President’s Office Mohamed Mabrook Azeez said a separate emergency medical service has been introduced for COVID-19 patients, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). Mabrook said the aim of introducing the service is to facilitate a fast response to COVID-19 related medical emergencies and prevent fatalities due to delayed response. He added the service is currently introduced only in the Greater Male’ Region, and urged the public not to call the hotline for non-emergencies.
The hotline 100 must be called to request an ambulance for a COVID-19 patient who has severe breathing difficulties, has persistent pain or pressure in the chest, or is unconscious and unresponsive. The general hotline 1676 can be used for non-emergencies.