Sexual harassment case reported in Ungoofaaru Hospital

The Maldives Police Services has begun investigations in R. Ungoofaaru, following a report that a case of sexual harassment occurred at the island hospital.

According to the reports, a doctor at Ungoofaaru Hospital made sexual advances against a female student of Primary Health Care at the Maldives National University (MNU). The student is currently under internship training at the hospital.

A police media official told Sun Online today that the case was filed with the police yesterday noon, and that no one has been arrested so far in connection with the issue.

A group of 21 students of MNU went to Ungoofaaru for 2 weeks of internship training some days ago. There are 18 female and 3 male students in the group.

Guardian of one of the students told Sun today that other students in the group have also complained of “some indecent acts” on the part of some doctors working at Ungoofaaru hospital. The same guardian also said that the incident reported yesterday occurred while the students and some staff at the hospital were on a picnic trip.

On the other hand, Hassan Shareef, Hospital Manager, denied the occurrence of any such incidents. He said that the female student involved was in the hospital laundry area with some others, and that she threw water at a man as an act of fun, and that the man subsequently requested her to go to the beach and swim. “There were others in the laundry area who witnessed this”, said Shareef. He also said that the girl went to the beach of her own will.

Sun Online has learned that some students in the internship group have stopped attending sessions at the hospital.

“It is a matter for them to decide; those who want training would attend, and those who do not want, would not”, said Shareef, Hospital Manager.