Authorities begin addressing difficulties at Hulhumale' Medical Facility

The Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) has noted that authorities are working to resolve issues highlighted by the commission following their visit to Hulhumale' Medical Facility (HMF) earlier this week.

HRCM had conducted a visit to Hulhumale' Medical Facility on 25 May, following social media reports of a number of challenges being faced by health workers and staff in caring for Covid-19 patients at the facility. The HRCM had shared the findings from their visit with relevant authorities.

In commenting on the recommendations presented by HRCM, Spokesperson for the President's Office Mabrook Azeez stated that authorities had begun addressing the issues at HMF as noted by HRCM. The Human Rights Commisison had stated their role as to monitor such cases, present recommendations to authorities and assure that action is being taken accordingly.

The HRCM had also welcomed efforts on behalf of authorities to swiftly address the developing crisis at HMF.

During their initial visit to the Hulhumale' Medical Facility, HRCM had noted that while the facility was specialized for treatment of Covid-19 patients, a limited number of nurses, doctors and staff at the facility had resulted in them being unable to provide the best care for patients being admitted at the facility. The shortage had been dire, with the Health Protection Agency (HPA) briefly opening a call for volunteers this week in order to relieve overburdened health workers, to which over 1,000 citizen volunteers had applied.

In addition to this, the commission noted that while nurses worked closely with patients, caretakers and family members at HMF, human resource limitations had resulted in information not being communicated effectively between parties within the facility, and an obstruction of contact between patients and their families outside of the facility.

Spokesperson Mabrook had detailed on Saturday that 200 to 300 patients were admitted at Hulhumale' Medical Facility and Hulhumale' Hospital on average every month, and that over 600 patients had been admitted in the ongoing month of May.

The HRCM had noted that nurses and attendants were simply too busy caring for patients at HMF to accept and deliver food taken to the facility by family of patients. The commission also highlighted that while meals were provided to patients at HMF based on the recommendation of a dietitian, the quality of meals being provided to Covid-19 patients at the facility was not up to par. In addition to this, the HRCM noted that while the facility had been designated for the care of Covid-19 patients, some helpers of patients too sick to attend to themselves were also residing in the facility, causing a shortage of space.

HRCM added that due to this, staff at HMF had been forced to pack a number of people into the same ward, and were unable to provide services according to guidelines set forth by the Health Protection Agency.

The Human Rights Commission of Maldives also stressed the psychological and physical strain faced by staff, health workers and nurses at the Hulhumale' Medical Facility, and called for authorities to expedite providing psychosocial support to the employees at HMF.

Additionally, HRCM also called to attention that most workers at Hulhumale' Medical Facility undertook 12-hour shifts per day without off days or holidays to care for Covid-19 patients, and relayed to authorities complaints of them not receiving their salaries as promised despite their invaluable efforts.

The HRCM revealed they have now lodged some findings from their visit to HMF as separate cases, and that they would be following closely the progress being made by authorities in resolving these challenges.