Health Minister Dr. Abdulla Khaleel has said that efforts are underway to establish emergency laboratory services in islands where laboratory services are currently unavailable.
Responding to inquiries by MPs at Tuesday's Parliament session, the Health Minister said the services have already been established in some islands under the current efforts. Some of the equipment necessary for the establishment of the service in other islands has already been procured, he said.
"We are preparing to introduce laboratory service in all the islands where people do not have access to it now. While we have already procured some of the equipment, we have not been able to send it [to the intended locations] as procurement is not fully complete," he said.
Replying to another question from a member, Minister Khaleel acknowledged that there is a shortage of doctors, nurses, and other staff in the health sector. There is currently a shortage of 35 doctors in different parts of the country, he said.
