Global Organizations Contribute to the Maldives’ Fight Against the Pandemic

In a virtual ceremony held yesterday to launch the WHO and European Union Project to support COVID-19 Response of the Maldives, His Excellency Minister of Health, Ahmed Naseem has welcomed a contribution of nearly 19 million Maldivian Rufiyaa worth of a contribution from EU and WHO to the Maldives.

In a statement by Dr. Shushil Dev Pant, Acting WHO Representative to the Maldives, he mentioned the timely efficiency of the donation in bringing much-needed upgrades to the Hulhumale Isolation facility to meet the demands that come with a higher number of cases, and to provide the best possible care for severe cases. There is expected to be a considerable improvement in the number of recovery cases with the aforementioned improvements.

This support will be focused on improving the managerial processes in dealing with COVID-19 cases in the country through a number of planned improvements being brought about within the health sector. They include:
- Provision of medicine, supplies and reagents to Hulhumale Isolation facility and Regional ICU facility
- Supporting green medical waste management in selected facilities
- Supporting the capacity building of critical care, case management and rapid response teams of the Huhumale Isolation Facility, Regional hospitals
- Establishing a regional ICU facility

According to Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives H.E. Denis Chaibi, the funding is an essential element of EU’s global response to the coronavirus pandemic. He also threw light on the significance of EU’s partnership with WHO in the joint ‘Green Recovery’ of vulnerable countries such as Maldives whose economy is majorly dependent on the tourism sector.

Photos: Ministry of Health, Maldives