The medical facility being established in Hulhumalé will take an additional two weeks to be completed, revealed the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC).
This was revealed by the task force’s spokesperson, Mohamed Mabrook Aziz on Sunday night. As such, he revealed that workers had not completed the project by the time the initial deadline for completion approached.
The 300-bed medical facility is being established to prepare for a situation where a bulk of Covid-19 cases arise and a mass of patients require treatment all at once.
Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) officers as well as workers from government institutions are working on the building, being established close to the primary National Covid-19 Treatment Center, the Tree Top Hospital.
Mabrook further revealed that the cause of the delay in completing the project is due to a number of workers at the site having tested positive for Covid-19, following which the project was halted.
However, the government is expecting the project to be completed within the next two weeks, he said.
MVR 40 million is being spent on this facility and it was to be completed by the end of April. However, a number of MNDF officers and expatriates working at the site tested positive for the virus before it could be completed.
Out of the 40 million, 12 million is being spent for the construction of the building and the remaining 28 million is being spent as expenses to acquire medical supplies and equipment for the facility.