Nazim: Over thousand hired by government for healthcare

Health Minister Abdullah Nazim Ibrahim announced on Wednesday that over a thousand employees have been hired in the healthcare sector since the current government took office.

Speaking at the World Patient Safety Day celebrations, Minister Nazim emphasized that patient safety must always be the cornerstone of health service delivery.

Referring to the World Patient Safety Report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) last year, Nazim highlighted that the report identified inadequate safety standards in treatment practices within health facilities as the biggest problem in healthcare.

The report revealed that 12 percent of treatments not meeting safety standards result in permanent disability or loss of life, and that unsafe treatments cause nearly three million deaths annually, with half of these being preventable.

Therefore, Nazim stressed the importance of having necessary rules and regulations for health services, ensuring familiarization with these rules, and their effective implementation.

He noted that the launch of licensing software, the Patient Safety Champions Training Program, and the Patient Safety Pathway at IGMH, Hulhumale' Hospital, and Villimale Hospital are significant steps in this direction.

Nazim further stated that improving the quality of health services and expanding services should always be done sustainably. He confirmed ongoing efforts to enhance the quality of the health sector.

"The government is improving the infrastructure of the health sector, whether it is Dharumavantha Hospital, IGMH, or Hulhumale' Hospital," Nazim said.

To further strengthen the health sector, this government has recruited more than 400 health workers for the atolls and over 500 for Male’ city areas since taking over, he added.

Nazim acknowledged that much remains to be done, including increasing the capacity of IGMH and Dharumavantha Hospital.