The government has revealed an additional 60 ambulances will be brought into operation by the end of this year.
Spokesperson at the President’s Office Mohamed Mabrook Azeez revealed 20 new ambulances needed for the atolls were brought to the country on October 6. The spokesperson said another 20 ambulances will be brought within the next month, and another 20 ambulances will arrive before the end of the year. Therefore, he said a total of 60 new ambulances will be brought into operation by the end of the year.
As part of efforts to strengthen emergency healthcare services in the atolls, the government had contracted State Trading Organisation (STO) in June to procure 96 new ambulances for the atolls. Minister of Health Ahmed Naseem had stated new ambulances will help to strengthen the ambulance services in the atolls and resolve many of the challenges faced in providing emergency medical services. He noted several islands currently do not have an operational ambulance, leading to major difficulties in responding to emergency situations.
Meanwhile, earlier this week, the Government of Japan extended a grant aid of USD 3 million to the Maldives for the provision of a sea ambulance under the efforts to strengthen the healthcare capacity of the country. The aim of the grant was to provide sea ambulances equipped with the necessary medical systems and trained staff to be used in the event of a serious illness or medical condition, and on emergency evacuations.