Maamigili gets an X-ray machine, but it remains unused four months on

Concern has been mounting in ADh. Maamigili, where the local health center got a long-awaited X-ray machine months back, but has not been able to launch this basic diagnostic service due to lack of technicians to operate it.

Sun has been informed the X-ray machine was taken to Maamigili four months back.

The Maamigili health center provides medical services not just to some 2,000 residential population of the island, but also to people in neighboring islands and resorts.

A councilor from Maamigili expressed concern to Sun on Monday regarding the lack of access to X-ray services in the island.

The councilor said that while the local health center got an X-ray machine four months back, it goes not have the technical staff needed to operate it.

The X-ray machine remains uninstalled, kept in a wooden box at the waiting area of the health center for all to see.

The councilor said that people living in the populous island need to go to either neighboring ADh. Mahibadhoo, or further away to the capital Male’ City, to access this basic diagnostic service.

The councilor added that Health Minister Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim had visited Maamigili earlier this year, and took a tour of the health center to assess the situation.

The councilor said that Nazim had acknowledge the lack of multiple necessary services at the health center, and had provided assurance of the government would facilitate the introduction of the services.

One such service he pledged to start are X-ray services.

The councilor said that Nazim had also promised that the project to develop a hospital in Maamigili would also begin soon.

There’s mounting concern among the general public regarding the delay in the rollout of any of these initiatives, said the councilor.

The head of the Maamigili health center declined to provide any details.