Maldives Doctors Take to Social Media to Request Essential Hospital Equipment

Doctors at the Indhira Ghandi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in Male', the Maldives' main government hospital, have taken to social media to express their concerns over the lack of essential medical equipment at the facility.

Dr. Ismail Latheef, head of IGMH's anesthesia department, recently tweeted a request for a portable ultrasonography (USG) machine to be donated to the hospital's Intensive Care Unit (ICU). He tagged the Twitter accounts of the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization, and the President's Office in his message.

Another nurse working at IGMH also tweeted a plea for a patient lifter, while another doctor expressed frustration over the lack of essential equipment, consumables, and medications.

The calls for essential equipment have led to concerns among the Maldivian public, particularly given recent reports of government spending on non-essential items such as travel and political appointees. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's trip to Qatar to watch the FIFA World Cup semi-final match cost nearly MVR 1 million, while his trip to London for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II reportedly cost over MVR 3 million.

In addition, some Maldivians have raised concerns over the use of government funds to appoint highly paid political appointees to various ministries, while essential equipment for hospitals such as IGMH remains in short supply.

The average market price for a portable ultrasonography (USG) machine is around MVR 300,000. It is not clear whether the government has plans to provide such equipment to IGMH or other hospitals in the country.

The calls for essential equipment at IGMH underscore the urgent need for greater investment in the Maldivian healthcare system.