HPA: Mental issues due to restrictions noted from resort employees

Health Protection Agency (HPA) has said that it had noticed cases of suicide, depression, and anxiety from resort employees.

HPA senior officials were summoned to the Parliament’s Human Rights and Gender Committee yesterday to clarify how the agency deals with people with medical issues who are placed in quarantine amid the situation with Covid-19 in the Maldives.

Dr. Ahmed Shaheed from HPA was responding to a question by MP Imthiyaaz Fahmy when he stated that mental and medical issues were being noticed from resort employees who are in a state of lockdown on the resorts.

”There are mental issues faced when under travel restrictions. The medical team of NEOC had attended 14 such cases so far. They include suicide ideations, depression and anxiety among others.” said Dr. Shaheed.

Dr. Shaheed stated that the psycho-support service of the NEOC was actively dealing with such cases. The situation and condition of the employees were being checked via phone calls and necessary medical attention was also being provided.

The doctor also stated that the time was an extremely challenging one since there included high-risk cases of anxiety and depression. Dr. Shaheed stated that the common policy was that a doctor, nurse or a health professional should be present on every resort in the country, a policy that the doctor noted was not being followed.

“There are many resorts without a doctor or a nurse. The situation with Covid-19 came when things were in this state. So, the health system has felt a lot of difficulties due to this.” said Dr. Shaheed.

The HPA has ordered that employees of resorts can only depart 14-days after all guests have left the island as a preventive measure against the Covid-19 virus. This has led some instances of employees attempting to depart from the island without the approval of the authorities and even misleading the authorities on information something which the government has strongly advised against.