The government has pledged to provide a fast solution for the healthcare challenges faced in Addu City amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The healthcare challenges faced in Addu City were discussed during a videoconference meeting attended by Vice President Faisal Naseem, Minister of Health Abdulla Ameen and parliamentarians representing the 7 constituencies of Addu City. The challenges discussed during the meeting include the lack of testing facilities for COVID-19 in Addu, as well as the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and surgical masks to be worn by healthcare workers. The lack of quarantine facilities in the region and the importance of strengthening security services in the city were also discussed during the meeting.
Speaking at the meeting, Health Minister Ameen said the government is working on establishing sufficient COVID-19 testing facilities in Addu. Noting World Health Organisation (WHO) has pledged to provide the cartridges required to run COVID-19 tests on GeneXpert machines, the health minister said the cartridges did not arrive by the scheduled date due to manufacturing delays. However, he said WHO has pledged to transport the cartridges to the Maldives by the end of this month.
Furthermore, the health minister said arrangements are being made to transfer sufficient medical supplies for Addu to prepare for a surge in COVID-19 cases. He pledged to provide a prompt solution for the healthcare issues faced in Addu City.
Currently, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Addu City. Although direct testing facilities have not been established in the city, arrangements have been made to confirm the results of samples obtained from the city within 24 hours.