Community-based mental wellbeing center Manas Hub opens in Kulhudhuffushi

Manas Hub, a community-based mental wellbeing center, opened on Saturday at the northern city of Kulhudhuffushi.

Developed by the Kulhudhuffushi City Council in partnership with Australia’s Orygen, Manas Hub was officially opened on Saturday evening by Kulhudhuffushi Mayor Mohamed Athif and Australian High Commissioner David Jessup.

The ceremony was also attended by former Maldivian Firest Lady Fazna Ahmed and Kondo Shunsuke, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of Japan to the Maldives.

The Manas Hub is dedicated to promoting mental health awareness, reducing stigma, and facilitating access to early support and care.

The Kulhudhuffushi City Council described the opening of Manas Hub, which coincided with World Mental Health Day, as “an important step towards strengthening community-based mental health support and fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment for mental wellbeing in Kulhudhuffushi City.”

Unlike regular clinical or hospital services, the Manas Hub focuses on providing support before mental health issues escalate. Services at the center are based on Australia’s headspace model, which focuses on early intervention and integrated primary care for young people aged 12 to 25.

Kulhudhuffushi City Council states that the main purpose of the Manas Hub is to create a safe environment where each and every individual can gain easy access to crucial information, promote a health lifestyle, and link individuals with professional medical assistance and services when required.

The center is being run by the Kulhudhuffushi City Council’s Knowledge, Culture and Wellbeing Unit.