The government has stated that ambulances have been sent to 127 islands as part of the efforts to improve healthcare and emergency medical services in the atolls.
The underdeveloped healthcare services and the lack of ambulances in the atolls were a major point of concern for the administration when it took office four years ago. The absence of ambulances required some islands to use various types of vehicles to transfer patients to health centres. The administration has since been procuring ambulances to improve emergency medical services in the atolls and guarantee the right to healthcare for residents.
At a press conference, Spokesperson at the President’s Office Miuvaan Mohamed said improving emergency medical services was not a high priority for previous governments but that the current administration has so far procured 127 ambulances for islands that lacked ambulances or had vehicles that were deteriorated beyond use.
Additionally, Spokesperson Miuvaan said that the government will soon receive eight paramedic ambulances from Japan and that State Trading Organisation (STO) will procure 20 ambulances within three months. He added that the ambulances will be sent to islands that need them the most. STO has so far procured 96 ambulances for use in atolls and the new ambulances will be designed for paramedics to treat patients inside the vehicles.