Staff at Dr. Abdul Samad Memorial Hospital in Thinadhoo have decided to stage a protest over the unfair distribution of "off days" among employees
Staff at Dr. Abdul Samad Memorial Hospital in Thinadhoo are expressing concern over alleged discrimination regarding the allocation of off-days, with some employees preparing to protest as the management has failed to provide an adequate solution despite the matter being reported to the Ministry of Health. However, the hospital's CEO has denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that all procedures comply with regulations and that duty rosters are structured specifically to ensure uninterrupted service delivery.
Staff at Dr. Abdul Samad Memorial Hospital protest over the denial of off days. | RaajjeMV | RaajjeMV
Staff at Dr. Abdul Samad Memorial Hospital in Thinadhoo have decided to stage a protest over allegations of widespread discrimination and the unfair distribution of off-days among employees.
A hospital employee informed RaajjeMV that the facility currently employs 93 nurses and 22 attendants.
An employee noted that the policy regarding days off was changed in November 2025, reducing their weekly leave from two days to just one. The employee stated that it remains unclear how or why this sudden policy shift was implemented. Furthermore, the employee alleged significant discrimination among the staff, pointing out that nurses and attendants working in the laboratory continue to receive two days off per week.
Emphasizing the need for an urgent resolution to the issue, he noted that while duties were previously carried out in three shifts prior to Ramadan, they have transitioned to a four-shift rotation during the holy month. He asserted that providing employees with two days off would not result in a shortage of staff during any given shift. He further stated that it is deeply unjust for some employees to receive two days off while others are granted only one. This disparity, he noted, has disrupted operations and damaged the sense of camaraderie within the workplace.
Furthermore, the employee stated that the matter had been formally submitted to the management for a resolution, and a request had been made to meet with the CEO, Mohamed Ashraf, who is a political appointee overseeing the hospital. The employee noted that despite more than a month passing, the staff's concerns have been ignored, and the CEO has yet to meet with them. The issue has also been brought to the attention of the Ministry of Health, which indicated that the matter is under review. However, the employee expressed deep concern over the fact that no solution has been reached to date.
Noting that preparations are underway for a protest at the hospital regarding this issue, the employee stated that staff had previously expressed their dissatisfaction by staging a protest with posters. However, they alleged that instead of addressing the root cause of the problem, the hospital administration launched an investigation into how the protest was organized, focusing on whether the posters were printed using hospital resources and identifying the staff members who took photographs.
Speaking to RaajjeMV regarding the matter, Mohamed Ashraf, CEO of Dr. Abdul Samad Memorial Hospital, stated that no regulations have been violated and that all arrangements are being made to ensure services remain uninterrupted. He further noted that staff rosters are managed individually by their respective departments, adding that he does not believe these departments would schedule shifts in a manner that causes undue hardship for employees.
