
Parliament rejects motion on Hulhumalé hospital services
Dr Shamheed said that the services provided at Hulhumalé Hospital had become increasingly difficult to maintain.
The Parliament on Wednesday rejected an emergency motion submitted by Hulhumalé South MP Dr Mohamed Shamheed regarding the state of services at Hulhumalé Hospital.
The motion, raised by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), was dismissed after members of the ruling People's National Congress (PNC), which holds a parliamentary majority, voted against it. A total of 37 members voted to dismiss the motion, while 10 voted in support—nine MDP MPs and Mohamed Abbas from the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA). PNC MP for Utheemu, Hussain Shareef, attended the sitting but did not vote.
In his submission, Dr Shamheed said that the services provided at Hulhumalé Hospital had become increasingly difficult to maintain. He noted that the Greater Malé region had a growing population, with the hospital receiving over 15,000 visits and more than 300 admissions per month.
Dr Shamheed highlighted several concerns, including:
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The hospital’s designation as a 24-hour service provider without adequate staff.
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A shortage of medical officers, resulting in extended working hours that affect patient care.
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Discontinuation of overtime pay, leading to difficulties in staff retention.
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Employees working second jobs to meet personal financial obligations, including student loans.
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Lack of an interventional cardiologist, requiring emergency heart patients to be transferred to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH).
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Absence of a neurologist.
He also referred to a one-hour suspension of services at the hospital the previous day, reportedly due to a server issue, and a separate power outage on 27 June, which disrupted outpatient services for six hours.
Dr Shamheed argued that these service disruptions posed risks to patient care and public access to healthcare. He stated that he submitted the emergency motion to prompt a parliamentary debate and draw the government’s attention to the situation at Hulhumalé Hospital.