Minister: 67% of govt’s health sector targets have been achieved

Health Minister Geela Ali said on Wednesday that 67 percent of the government’s health sector targets have been achieved.

While giving a presentation during ruling People’s National Congress (PNC)’s congress regarding the current administration’s health sector achievements, the Minister said that a significant number of the government’s 478 health sector pledges have already been fulfilled.

Minister Geela said the administration has made 244 decisions aimed at advancing the health, family, and social assistance sectors. She added that 835 health sector projects are currently at various stages of implementation, while 8,384 activities have been carried out to date to further develop the sector.

The Minister also compared the current administration’s achievements with projects undertaken during the previous government’s five-year term. She said the current administration has awarded health sector projects worth MVR 5.9 billion, compared to MVR 2.62 billion worth of projects awarded by the end of the previous administration’s tenure.

Specifically, she noted that work has commenced on 40 hospitals under the current administration, compared to 16 hospitals initiated during the previous government’s five-year term. She also highlighted that work has begun on 22 health centers under the current administration, while the previous administration initiated work on 14.

Despite a significant allocation for health sector infrastructure development in this year’s budget, Ministry of Finance statistics showed that only MVR 232 million had been utilized by the end of August, despite most of the year having already passed.