Health Minister Geela Ali announced that a land plot in Hulhumalé has been designated for the construction of a government-funded mental health hospital. 

During Tuesday’s parliamentary session, responding to a question from North Galolhu MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudoo), the Minister specified that a 10,000-square-foot area has been allocated for the project.

Minister Geela emphasized that providing comprehensive mental healthcare services relies heavily on the presence of specialized professionals across various disciplines within the mental health field.

She explained, "The decision to establish this hospital in Malé is based on the concentration of existing resources in the capital. Additionally, crucial diagnostic tests and specialized treatments needed for patients are currently centralized in this region."

On April 27th, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu announced that the government would fund the mental health hospital using the national budget after efforts to secure a foreign loan were unsuccessful.

The President stated that although the initial plan involved developing the hospital with foreign assistance and significant efforts were made to obtain such funding, procedural delays in loan processing prevented the project from starting.

"Due to the lengthy procedures involved in securing these loans and the urgent need for improved mental health services, we have decided to finance the construction of the hospital directly from the government budget," he said.

He also mentioned that the government plans to reallocate the funds initially sought through the loan for other healthcare needs.

Originally, the mental health hospital was planned to be built in L. Gan.