Human Rights Standards Questioned at Himmafushi Rehab

MP Mohamed Ibrahim has challenged Home Minister Ali Ihusaan with 10 questions regarding deteriorating conditions at the Himmafushi Rehabilitation Centre. Citing patient complaints about unhygienic facilities and poor food, the lawmaker questioned whether treatment programs meet UNODC and WHO human rights standards. Families warn that failing to fix these conditions risks driving recovering addicts back into drug abuse.

Substandard Conditions and Safety Compliance at Himmafushi Rehab Raised in Parliament

Concerns over unhygienic environments, deteriorating infrastructure, and the standard of care at the Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre in K. Himmafushi have reached Parliament, with lawmakers warning that sub-par facility conditions could force recovering addicts back into substance abuse.

Galolhu Uthuru MP Mohamed Ibrahim has formally submitted a series of ten written questions to Minister of Home Affairs Ali Ihusaan, seeking urgent clarification on the management and physical state of the country's primary rehabilitation facility. The inquiry follows widespread complaints from patients and their families regarding the centre's living standards and operational integrity.

Central to the lawmaker's questioning is whether the rehabilitation programs currently conducted at Himmafushi are rooted in modern, evidence-based scientific practices. The MP requested full disclosure on whether the facility complies with international human rights standards established by global bodies such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The submission highlights serious allegations regarding basic living conditions within the facility. Questions pressed the Home Minister to detail ongoing measures to upgrade decaying structures, improve sub-standard meals, and restore sanitation in sleeping quarters and bathroom facilities. Additionally, the inquiry asked for documented proof of mechanisms used to evaluate and train caregiving staff, as well as support systems dedicated to the mental well-being of employees handling addiction treatment.

Emphasizing that access to safe, dignified care is a statutory requirement under the Dangerous Drugs Act, MP Mohamed Ibrahim cautioned that failing to address these administrative and environmental shortcomings threatens to undermine treatment outcomes entirely. Families fear that without swift intervention, vulnerable patients face an elevated risk of relapse.

The parliamentary inquiry comes amid existing government plans to revamp the island's rehabilitation capacity. Minister Ihusaan previously acknowledged in June that the existing Himmafushi center was failing to deliver optimal outcomes, announcing preparations to begin practical work on a new, expanded 500-bed facility designed to restructure drug treatment services in the Maldives.