Corruption within the recruitment process

I paid US$2000 to employment agent in India and then US$1000 to agent in Male' to get a job as a nurse in Male'. [Name withheld, Received by Email]

One senior, lady at Department of Medical Services at the Ministry of Health took money from me as commission for giving me my job in Maldives. [Name withheld, Received by Email]

We have heard of staff shortages in the health sector of the country for many years. There have been rumors that many of those who apply for posts, in response to advertisements in foreign newspapers are prevented from getting a contract unless a bribe is paid to Maldivian and expatriate "agents".

One email that we received did mention a senior level official at DMS, whose name was not mentioned in the email, taking heavy bribes from potential employees before confirming their contracts. Our team made inquiries from contacts within DPH and MoH if there was any truth in these stories. Our contacts were able to confirm that such rumors are rife even within the office. They were however unable to confirm for sure if such activities indeed happen, they said, "the senior level officials would know, but then again- they maybe the people involved too".

One senior doctor, who wished not to be named for obvious reasons, working at a regional hospital talked to a member of the Medical Investigators Team on 27th December 2007 and confirmed that he had to bribe the head of the institute and an official from DMS to renew his contract. He said that every expatriate doctor known to him working in Maldives pays some sort of "fee" or "commission" to officials to ensure their contract was renewed. He swore that to get his first post in Maldives he had paid 2 lac Indian rupees to an agent in India and MRf 10,000 to a Maldivian "agent" upon arrival in Maldives.

We were made to understand that DMS is the government department responsible for recruitment of all medical staff to institutions other than IGMH, which has its own recruitment department Personnel department within IGMH.

The staffing situation at IGMH is also woeful. Several of the key medical departments are chronically short staffed and stretched. There have reportedly been spats between medical staff and the officials at the Personnel department over the pace of the recruitment process including accusations by many of corruption within the recruitment process.

Two doctors from IGMH that we contacted refused to either refute or confirm whether they experienced such procedures when they applied for work at IGMH. Their refusal to discuss the issue and allegations does make one believe that they may have been victims of a similar scam.

The stories that we received may make us believe that high level officials within the Ministry of Health and IGMH are involved in a racket to make money out of the recruitment process. Our contacts within MoH and IGMH share the views.

Expatriate doctors, nurses and paramedical staff have stories to tell. Many of them have allegedly paid bribes and "commisions" in order to get a contract or extension of contract to high level officials.

[We continue to investigate these allegations in order to identify the people involved in the racket]

No oxygen in health centers and hospitals

A sick newborn transfered from Gn. Fuvahmulah Atoll Hospital to S. Hithadhoo Regional Hospital bacause of lack of oxygen at the former health facility. [Translation; Minivan Daily]

This report was very concerning. We alerted our team to do a quick investigation and below are our findings.

The story is factual. The baby was transfered to HRH (Hithadhoo Regional Hospital) because baby was having respiratory distress and the oxygen supply at Fuahmulah Atoll Hospital was running out. Our affiliates at HRH confirm that the baby was received at the regional hospital and that the baby is improving.

On a more concerning note though, we can confirm that the lack of oxygen is a problem across all government health facilities including IGMH. Our affiliates within IGMH confirm that apart from a few cylinders, IGMH is running very low on oxygen.

STO and Maldive gas are the suppliers of oxygen to IGMH and DMS (Department of Medical Services). Apparently a financial conflict between the suppliers and the institutions is responsible for the grave situation. Overdue invoices and mismanagement of stock maintenance has put the health of many of our most vulnerable in jeopardy. Jazeera Daily is the only local paper to report on this issue.

As Dr Yasir was unavailable for comment, we tried to call Dr Solih (Executive Director General, IGMH) to inquire about the situation. As custom, his phone was also in silent mode! We were told that Alibe' (Director General, IGMH) was the next in command at IGMH. He and 2 other senior executive, we were told were unavilable at this time, as they were at the Peoples Majlis.

In the atolls, the situatation is different at different centers. At most places there was no oxygen available anyway, because they never had any. However, at most of the health centers report that they have enough oxygen (some reportedly have one extra cylinder on standby! That is 2 cylinders in total).

If the situation does not improve over the next day or so, we will see patients being transfered abroad for oxygen! "Patients in IGMH ICU are high risk of oxygen deprived brain injury in the next 48hrs if things do not improve" said one staff working there. It is a scary thought and a scandalous statement and she may be right too.

The incompetence, corruption, mismanagement and poor planning at IGMH, MoH.....across the board in our health services is putting our lives at risk.