Services commenced in Dharumavantha Hospital, the 25-storey building established by former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom's administation in order to solve the challenges faced due to lack of space in Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH).
The first department of IGMH shifted to the new hospital was the physiotherapy department. Dharumavantha Hospital has been providing physiotherapy services from the fourth floor since March 30.
"Some other facilities will also be shifted", said IGMH's spokesperson Mohamed Mufeed.
Departments that will be shifted to Dharumavantha Hospital include OPD, X-Ray, sports therapy, ENT, ophthalmology and dental facilities, as these services are highly demanded by the public.
There will be no difficulty in acquiring services from both hospitals, as the two adjacent buildings are connected by a walkway. The design allows entry into Dharumavantha Hospital after exiting IGMH near the emergency department.
Ground floor: Coffee shop and waiting area
First floor: Diagnostic facilities including X-ray, CT scan and MRI
Second and third floors: Consultation rooms and dermatology department
Fourth floor: Hydro-pool equipped physiotherapy department and sports therapy department
Fifth floor: dermatology department, a special area for kids and separate prayer rooms for both genders
Sixth floor: ENT department, ophthalmology department and dental department
Seventh floor: Endoscopy, colonoscopy, bronchoscopy and operation theatre
Eighth and fourteenth floor: Medical school
Ninth floor: State-of-the-art laboratory
Ninth and tenth floors: Cardiac centre
Eleventh floor: Catheterization laboratory (cath lab) along with the first hybrid operation theatre in Maldives, and 10 cubes of the cardio-care centre
The remaining floors include four operating theatres, private rooms for patients and accommodation for doctors. The 24th floor will be converted to a restaurant with a brilliant view from the tallest building in Male' city.
The construction of Dharumavantha Hospital commenced in the previous government, to tackle the issues faced by the health sector. The project was signed over to Chun Hwa of Singapore for a staggering USD 143 million. Although the work that began on June 5, 2016 was supposed to conclude within two years, IGMH stated that the delay was caused over the failure of the companies, tasked with providing facilities, to deliver upon the due dates.
Dharumavantha Hospital is described by Yameen's supporters as a symbol of development, while the ruling coalition depicts it as the image of corruption. While the project costs stand at over USD 140 million, experts in the field have stated that three similar buildings can be constructed with these funds. In response, Yameen's administration insisted that finishing the construction at a fast pace and providing services as soon as possible was given more importance.
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