Mental health hospital to be built in Hulhumalé, minister confirms
Geela said the location was selected based on the distribution of patients and the availability of healthcare services required to support specialised treatment
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Health Minister Geela Ali has confirmed that the national mental health hospital will be developed in Hulhumalé, citing patient data that shows a large proportion of those seeking mental health treatment reside in the Greater Malé Area.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Geela said the location was selected based on the distribution of patients and the availability of healthcare services required to support specialised treatment.
According to the minister, records from the past three years show that around 70,000 people sought treatment for mental health conditions across the Maldives.
Of those, approximately 45,000 received treatment in the Greater Malé Area.
Geela said the figures indicate that a significant share of demand for mental health services is concentrated in the capital region.
She told lawmakers that specialised healthcare facilities should be developed in locations where the majority of patients can access services and where the necessary medical support systems already exist.
The minister also confirmed that a 10,000-square-foot plot of land has been allocated in Hulhumalé for the project.
The government had previously planned to construct the facility in L. Gan through financing from India. However, the project was later revised after delays in securing the proposed funding arrangement.
The administration subsequently decided to finance the project through the state budget.
Government estimates previously placed the cost of the proposed facility in Gan at USD 18 million.
Officials have since stated that developing the hospital in Hulhumalé would reduce project costs while placing the facility closer to the largest concentration of patients seeking mental health services.
Further details on the project's timeline and design have not yet been announced.
