The Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare and the Maldives Police Service have held key discussions on improving access to mental health services and ensuring comprehensive care for people seeking treatment across the Maldives.

The consultation, held on Wednesday, was led by Health, Family and Welfare Minister Geela Ali and Commissioner of Police Ahmed Mohamed.

According to the ministry, the discussions were held to strengthen collaboration on mental health, including enhancing crisis response, ensuring safe interventions, and improving coordinated care nationwide.

The discussions focused on strengthening coordination between institutions and building a system that enables individuals in need of mental health support to receive treatment as quickly as possible, regardless of where they are located in the country.

The meeting also addressed the challenges faced by police when responding to incidents related to mental illness and explored ways to improve support mechanisms and inter-agency cooperation in such cases.

Officials emphasised the importance of all relevant institutions working together to strengthen mental health services and create a more effective and reliable national support system.

The main aim of the discussions was to improve the overall quality of mental healthcare in the Maldives and establish a stronger, more accessible framework for mental health treatment and support.