President: COVID-19 pandemic underscores the importance of quality mental healthcare

Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said on Saturday that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has served to underscore the importance of quality mental healthcare services.

He made the remark in a tweet on Saturday afternoon, on occasion of World Mental Health Day.

President Solih said that access to mental healthcare services remains a key aspect of his administration’s public health outlook.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to expanding mental healthcare services nationwide.

President Solih had pledged to expand access to mental healthcare services in the run up to the presidential elections in 2018, and had included the establishment of a designated center for mental healthcare, and Aasandha health insurance coverage for treatment of mental disorders as goals for his first 100 days in office.

He inaugurated the Center for Mental Health in Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) on March 25, 2019. The center provides outpatient and inpatient services. The services offered at the center include mental health assessments, diagnostic services, psychiatric services, psychological services, rehabilitation, and occupational services.

Some of mental disorders are now covered under Aasandha insurance.