Hulhumalé Hospital is set to open its newly developed 14-bed emergency room this week, significantly enhancing its capacity to provide urgent medical care.

The expansion, developed by the Road Development Corporation (RDC), was contracted in November 2024 in response to the growing demand for improved emergency services. For the past seven years, the hospital has operated with only a seven-bed emergency ward, an inadequate arrangement for a facility serving a population of over 200,000.

Speaking to local media, Hulhumalé Hospital Director General Moosa Kaleem Qasim highlighted the shortage of emergency beds as the department’s primary challenge. This constraint often led to patients being transferred to other facilities due to lack of space. He noted that the installation of beds and other essential equipment is currently underway, with the new emergency room expected to become operational within the week.

The new emergency room will house 14 beds, including one designated for critical care, addressing a long-standing gap in the hospital’s emergency services.

Alongside the emergency room expansion, the Government is also advancing broader development plans for the hospital. These include the construction of a new 15-storey hospital building adjacent to the existing six-storey facility, as well as the ongoing establishment of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) services within the current structure.