Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) has confirmed that more than 3,000 patients seeking remedy for various mental health issues are on the hospital's waitlist.
The hospital shared its patient waitlist updates with local news outlet Mihaaru on Tuesday, revealing that a total of 5,900 patients were on the waitlist seeking various remedies.
Earlier, it was reported that the hospital's patient waitlist had exceeded 10,000.
IGMH managed to slice the long waitlist in half by altering doctors' check-ups schedules by allowing OPD check-ups in afternoon shifts apart from the morning shifts.
Though the waitlist and the lengthy patient queue have been brought down by half, the hospital still reports a total of 3,276 patients on the waitlist seeking remedies for mental health issues.
Meanwhile, the Center for Mental Health in the hospital earlier confirmed that the psychiatrists are currently only consulting patients who made appointments in 2021.
Furthermore, the hospital management attested that as of now a total of five psychiatrists, six medical officers, five psychologists, and two social workers are currently employed at IGMH's Center for Mental Health.
Due to the critical nature of mental health issues, the hospital has initiated efforts to expand its mental health department through partnerships.
Meanwhile, out of the three major medical institutions operating in Greater Male' Region; IGMH, ADK, and Hulhumale' Hospital, the former is the only hospital with a designated mental health department; resulting in patients left with only one option to seek therapy.
In addition to this, the private hospital noted for specialist consultations; Tree Top is one of the few other medical institutions with a psychology department.
Moreover, in a bid to improve the mental health field in the local medical institutions, the government had initiated a fully state-funded scholarship opportunity with 46 slots for aspiring students seeking education in the field.
Sign In