MP Raises Concerns Over Healthcare Capacity at Hulhumalé Hospital Despite the Tertiary Upgrade

Ahmed Ghalib, MP for North Hulhumalé, has questioned whether Hulhumalé Hospital is delivering the level of care expected of a tertiary healthcare facility, arguing that the hospital’s official upgrade has not translated into corresponding improvements in patient services.

Speaking on SSTV’s Baaru Hathareh programme, Ghalib said the hospital’s designation as a tertiary facility would hold little value unless it was supported by healthcare services that meet recognised professional standards. He said the hospital, in its current state, was unable to provide care consistent with its tertiary classification.

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He also expressed concern that the government was not adequately prepared to meet the healthcare needs of Hulhumalé’s rapidly growing population. However, Ghalib said responsibility should not be placed on the hospital’s management or staff, adding that healthcare workers were carrying out their duties despite existing limitations and resource constraints.

Hulhumalé Hospital was officially inaugurated as a tertiary care facility in November 2024 after the government introduced new services including an operation theatre complex, an intensive care unit (ICU), a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and a centralised sterilisation department. The hospital also received its operating licence as a tertiary healthcare institution at the ceremony.

In the latest development aimed at addressing capacity constraints, the Road Development Corporation (RDC) has been awarded the contract to expand the hospital’s medical and paediatric wards.

The project will add 28 new beds in total. This includes four beds in the Medical High Dependency Unit, 15 beds in the general ward, and nine beds in the children’s ward. The children’s ward capacity will increase from six to 15 beds, while the general ward will expand to 27 beds overall.

The hospital, established in 2004, serves as the only public hospital for the growing Hulhumalé population, which includes the rapidly migrating population into Hulhuamale Phase 2’s social housing units.