President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has sent condolences to the family of Mohamed Jaah Khalid on his untimely tragic death.
"President Dr Mohamed Muizzu was deeply saddened to learn of the death of 13-year-old Mohamed Jaah Khalid of GA. Villingili Island, as he was being treated at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH). Following the tragic incident, the President extended his heartfelt condolences to Mohamed Jaah Khalid's parents and family," a statement released by the President's Office reads.
In the statement, the President calls on relevant authorities to revise and restructure existing protocols in a manner that will ensure such tragic events are prevented in future.
He also directed Island Aviation, which manages the national airline, Maldivian Airlines, to adopt a protocol that allows for prompt transport of patients in critical conditions without the need to wait for approval from other institutions like Aasandha, the government run insurance providers.
The government is under harsh public criticism following the tragic death, and accusations from the family that the death was caused due to avoidable delays in arranging the transfer from the island to a medical facility in the capital Male' City.
The child was initially taken to the hospital due to vomiting and nausea. However, tests showed that he had a tumor in his brain, upon which requests were made for a prompt transfer to medical facilities in Male' City.