Merging health and social sector operations will improve the delivery of public services, Minister of Health, Family and Welfare Geela Ali has said.
Speaking on a PSM News programme, the Minister outlined the objectives of merging the two sectors and the expected benefits.
Health Minister Geela noted that the combined sectors employ more than 10,000 staff and provide services to around 70,000 individuals across the country.
The Minister said the primary goal of the merger is to deliver high-quality services that meet public expectations and build trust. She highlighted strengthening public health, improving resource management and increasing efficiency as key priorities.
“Health and social work are closely interconnected and can be delivered together,” she said, adding that treatment or clinical services must be aligned with social support systems to better assist vulnerable groups.
She also emphasised the need to ensure equitable access to healthcare, particularly for persons with disabilities and those in vulnerable situations. Addressing ongoing concerns, she said efforts are being made to improve access to doctors and treatment services.
The Minister also highlighted challenges faced in smaller communities, particularly in maintaining sustainable human resources.
“The biggest challenge in smaller populations is ensuring sustainable staffing. People expect to consult a doctor and receive treatment on their own island, rather than travelling elsewhere,” she said.
Noting that maintaining resident specialist doctors in small populations is a significant challenge, the Minister said such services require both the necessary infrastructure and specialised personnel to be in place.
Consequently, she highlighted that the government is undertaking extensive efforts across various regions of the Maldives in both the social and health sectors. These include the development of new hospitals and health centres, as well as the introduction of new services across different regions.
To address access gaps, she also highlighted the role of outreach programmes, where specialist doctors visit islands periodically, noting that deploying permanent specialists to every island is not feasible.
The government is also working to strengthen infrastructure across the sectors, including developing new hospitals and health centres, expanding services in regional hubs and establishing social centres for senior citizens.