Details of Six-Year-Old Child’s Death Should Not Be Discussed by the Media, Says Health Minister

Health Minister Abdulla Nazim has said that the details surrounding the death of a six-year-old child with cerebral palsy are not appropriate for the media to report, as authorities continue to investigate the case.

At a press conference held today, Nazim was asked whether any negligence had been identified or action taken in connection with the child’s death. In response, the minister declined to provide specifics, stating it would be inappropriate to attribute the incident to a particular cause in a public forum. 

“It is difficult for us when the media attributes the cause to specific elements in such cases, plus it is not something that should even be discussed in the media,” he said, adding that detailed discussions on the matter are not intended for press conferences. 

Nazim said relevant information has been shared with the child’s family and assured that healthcare providers would address any shortcomings identified.

The child who had spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy died on March 25 while receiving treatment in the intensive care unit at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital. He had been admitted days earlier after his condition worsened.

According to the family, the child relied on a feeding tube for nutrition. In a social media post, they said a request for the tube had been submitted in August 2025 through the national health insurance scheme Aasandha via the State Trading Organisation (STO), but the equipment was not delivered in time. By the time it arrived, they said, his condition had deteriorated beyond the point where it could be safely used.

The child’s mother said that she had repeatedly followed up with STO and visited a pharmacy in Hulhumalé in an effort to obtain the tube, describing the situation as increasingly desperate with no alternative sources available.

The Health Ministry has confirmed it is investigating the case in coordination with relevant agencies. STO has said it is conducting an internal inquiry into the reported delay, while the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) has stated that the feeding tube was eventually provided but has not commented on when it was delivered.

The case has drawn significant public criticism online, with some questioning the effectiveness of the government’s response and whether the investigation will yield concrete outcomes.