Govt. targets cutting need to travel to capital for healthcare by 50 percent

Health Minister Abdulla Ameen has announced the administration’s target is to cut down the need for residents of atolls to travel to the capital, Male’ City, for access to healthcare services by 50 percent.

Speaking at the function held at the B. Atoll Education Center on Tuesday evening to celebrate 50 years of health services in B. Atoll, Minister Ameen said one underlying target of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s health policies for the year is to reduce the spending and burden undertaken by citizens for healthcare services.

“It is our target to, In Sha Allah, reduce the number of residents of atolls who travel to Male’ City for access to healthcare by 50 percent by the end of this year. We will establish CT scan services in five locations as part of our expansion project which targets 10 regions by the end of this year,” said Ameen.

Ameen also stated that the biggest priority in the administration’s study of the local healthcare sector and expansion plans is to identify the reasons for the need to travel to Male’ City for healthcare services, and establish the healthcare services which are lacking in the atolls.

He also said that easy access to healthcare services was a key component of the administration’s Jazeera lifestyle concept.

He said that a strong healthcare system, and access to modern healthcare services in the atolls was a top priority of the administration.

“Reaching this target is hard work. It won’t be easy. We may not reach this target in a day or two. But I assure you, the healthcare system of this country will reach this target,” said Ameen.