Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) has revealed the Hulhumale' Medical Facility is facing challenges in treating patients, due to a shortage of nurses.
HRCM stated a team from the commission had visited Hulhumale' Medical Facility in response to complaints publicised by the media. In a press statement released after visiting Hulhumale' Medical Facility, HRCM stated the facility has satisfactory procedures for treating patients but the HRCM team has observed delays in addressing or providing information to patients and their caretakers due to the shortage of nurses and the increase in the number of daily hospitalisations. HRCM detailed that their busy schedules causes nurses and attendants to forget to hand over food sent by the family of the patients and that, while patients are to be given food approved by a dietician, the team has observed that some food given to patients do not meet the health standards.
Furthermore, HRCM noted that the increase in the number of caretakers of patients at the facility has caused spacing issues and that there have also been delays in the facility wards providing information to inquiring families. HRCM also highlighted the importance of addressing the mental toll endured by the employees, adding that the commission is also looking into some employees not being paid despite working for 12 hours a day.
Hulhumale' Medical Facility employed 19 doctors when it opened, but now staffs 34 doctors and 116 nurses. Mariya Saeed, who is in charge of the facility, said the nurses' workload is distributed to prioritise the patients most in need of medical attention.
The government has stated it is recruiting more volunteers and interviewing 144 nurses from abroad to add to the health workforce due to the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the Maldives.