The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has begun the process of relocating the Thalassemia Center to the Orange Hiya building in Hulhumale'. This move follows protests by Thalassemia patients and their families last Saturday, who voiced concerns about the inadequate services at the current center.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, after visiting the facility, assigned the MNDF to accelerate the completion of the new center. In a post on X, the MNDF confirmed that work had commenced as instructed by the President. The project is being overseen by the MNDF Service Corps, with electrical and air conditioning tasks handled by the MNDF’s electrical and mechanical engineers. Additionally, IT-related duties will be managed by technical personnel from MNDF Signals.

The engineering team has also implemented design changes to ensure the new center is more child-friendly. The target date for the completion of the new Thalassemia Center is set for April 25, 2025.

The center will occupy a floor in the Orange Hiya building, which had previously served as a Covid-19 facility in Hulhumale'. The contract with the previous company responsible for the project was not renewed after its term ended.