First Lady Sajidha Mohamed has said one in five people in the Maldives experiences symptoms of depression, calling for concerted efforts to address workplace discrimination and stress.
She made the remarks while officiating the opening of a two-day Seminar on Workplace Mental Wellbeing organised by the National Mental Health Department (NMHD) in collaboration with the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Maldives.
The seminar is aimed at supervisors and managers across the Civil Service, with a focus on strengthening workplace support for employees’ mental wellbeing.
Sajidha said every person’s mental wellbeing deserves genuine care and attention, noting that employees come to work while carrying personal, family and health concerns, as well as worries about their children’s education.
She highlighted the impact of mental health issues on workplaces, citing WHO figures showing that depression and anxiety result in around 12 billion working days being lost globally each year, with an estimated productivity loss of USD 1 trillion.
The First Lady also referred to the 2021 STEPS Survey, which found that one in five people in the Maldives experiences symptoms of depression.
She called for greater efforts to address workplace discrimination and stress and urged institutions to create environments where employees can access support and mental health services with care.
“Institutions where mentally healthy employees work see a reduction in sick leave and tardiness. Research shows that occurrences such as administrative rule violations are lower. Moreover, it has been found that work spirit increases, and the satisfaction of people seeking services with the agency’s staff takes root,” Madam Sajidha said.
Sajidha expressed hope that the seminar would produce evidence-based and practical recommendations based on research. She also called for a culture of mutual respect and camaraderie across workplaces, saying this would contribute to stronger productivity.
The ceremony was attended by Health, Family and Welfare Minister Geela Ali, CSC President Mohamed Mujthaz, senior officials and staff of the NMHD, and senior officials from various state institutions.
