President Announces New GP Clinics to Ease Hulhumalé Healthcare Pressures

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced the establishment of additional General Practitioner (GP) clinics in Hulhumalé to address the mounting pressure on healthcare services caused by the city's rapid population growth. The decision follows concerns raised by a medical officer at Hulhumalé Hospital during the fourth edition of the 'Rayyithunge Adu' programme. The officer highlighted that the increasing number of residents has created significant challenges in delivering efficient treatment and urged the government to implement a sustainable long-term solution. President Muizzu confirmed that the government is developing the healthcare system to scale with the city's expansion. He revealed that separate entities have been tasked with establishing new clinics in both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of Hulhumalé. According to the President, the contract for the Phase 1 facility has already been signed and work has commenced. Construction of the two clinics is expected to be completed within four to six months. To ensure immediate relief, the President stated that the government will not wait for the buildings to be finished before addressing staffing shortages; recruitment of additional medical officers is already underway. This initiative is part of a broader national effort to strengthen the health sector. President Muizzu noted that approximately 2,000 new employees will be integrated into the healthcare system through a phased recruitment process. These developments complement existing projects at Hulhumalé Hospital, which previously announced the expansion of its medical and pediatric wards. The Phase 2 GP clinic, located on the sixth floor of the Amaan Udhara building, is scheduled for completion in October. Additionally, the hospital is increasing its capacity by 28 beds, including four dedicated to a new Medical High Dependency Unit (HDU) to handle more critical cases.