At a joint meeting of the Parliament’s Committee on National Development and Heritage and the Committee on Social Affairs, Vice President of the Maldives Doctors Union, Dr Mohamed Wisham, stated that the progressive Government has played a significant role in improving the quality of healthcare services in the Maldives. He described the introduction of performance-based salaries as a major milestone in enhancing service delivery in hospitals.

Dr Wisham further emphasised the need to separate healthcare professionals from the civil service structure, citing the technical nature of medical services as a key reason for distinct classification.

Secretary General of the Maldives Doctors Union, Dr Ahmed Rasheed, also addressed the committee, highlighting disparities in pay between doctors and nurses performing similar duties. He stressed the need for relevant authorities to rectify these inconsistencies.

During the meeting, representatives of the Union acknowledged the proactive efforts of Mr Ibrahim Haleem, CEO of the Malé City Group of Hospitals. He was commended for establishing specialised departments, promoting research, and maintaining operations despite financial constraints. Dr Rasheed noted that such initiatives are promising indicators of the potential to collectively achieve higher standards of care and reduce the need for patients to seek treatment abroad.

The committee meeting was also attended by representatives from the Maldives Teachers Association and the Maldives Nurses Association. Participants welcomed the progress made in recent years and underscored the need for continued improvements, with a shared emphasis on enhancing the quality of public services.