The People’s Majlis has passed to begin debating on the emergency motion submitted over the lack of testing facilities in southernmost Addu City.

42 parliamentarians unanimously voted in favor of the bill.

The motion was submitted by MP for Naifaru constituency and Vice President of the opposition Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), Ahmed Shiyam.

The motion highlights concern over the lack of to Covid-19 testing capacity in the city “with the second largest population” in the country, with over 35,000 residents.

MP Shiyam stressed that it is an additional cost to charter flights to bring samples to the capital from the southernmost city.

Further, the motion sheds light on the numerous complaints received by officials at the Addu Equatorial Hospital over the lack of protective equipment there and raised the issue of the delay in establishing a facility in the city.

In addition, the motion highlighted that the healthcare workers in the city are yet to be given adequate training for the treatment of the wide-spreading disease and stressed that a plan is yet to be formulated to contain and curb the spread of the disease, should a community transmission unfold in the city.

The member called on the government to formulate an effective plan and to address these issued in order to ensure the safety of the community

Authorities confirmed a Covid-19 case in Addu City last week after a patient from the city was transferred to the capital and tested positive for the virus. However, it was confirmed as a false alert later on after two additional tests came back negative.