The Finance Ministry has announced that they are seeking a contractor to develop a 50-bed mental health hospital in Hulhumale'. 

Interested parties, both local and foreign, are invited to register before October 20, the ministry announced. A registration fee of MVR 1500 or USD 100, and MVR 864,000.00 as bid security is quoted. 

Bid submissions are open until October 25, with bid opening scheduled for the following day. 

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu announced plans to develop a mental health hospital in the Male' region in April this year. 

At a press conference held then at the President's Office, President Muizzu said that 10,954 persons had sought various mental health services between January and April 24 this year. More than 8,000 of these cases were in the Male' area alone, he said. 

The president said that the pledge to develop a mental health hospital was planned to be fulfilled through foreign loan aid. However, as securing funding was taking a long time, the government decided to spend on the project through the State budget instead so as to expedite the work, he explained. 

The government also previously announced the development of a mental health hospital on a 14,000sqft plot of land in L. Gan through foreign loan assistance. However, this project is yet to commence.