The deadline set by Health Minister Geela Ali to relocate the Health Protection Agency (HPA) to a permanent office has passed, yet employees remain in temporary workspaces.
During a parliamentary session on July 8, Geela stated that arrangements were being finalized to move HPA staff to a designated facility in Hulhumale' by July 15, allowing the agency to operate from a single location.
However, Adhadhu has learned that HPA staff are still operating across various floors of the Roashanee Building in Male'.
Reports indicate that the new HPA office is being developed in the building planned for an STO city hotel in Hulhumale' Phase 1. It remains unclear why the relocation has been delayed.
HPA staff were previously based at Orange Hiya in Hulhumale' but were forced to vacate the premises in October. In the nine months since, the workforce has remained fragmented across multiple locations.
A source familiar with the matter told Adhadhu that the lack of a permanent office for the approximately 100 employees has caused public confusion regarding where to access essential services, such as work permit medicals and vaccinations.
The source noted that while the Health Ministry claims HPA services are available through the ministry, there is no dedicated floor for the agency, leading to public inconvenience and difficulties in managing ongoing outbreaks.
