Parliament has accepted a Bill to amend the Health Service Act to identify rising diseases in the country and create awareness about health issues.

The Bill was introduced by Henveiru South MP Hussain Imran Latheef.

While introducing the Bill in parliament, MP Imran said the purpose of introducing the Bill was to improve the country's healthcare system to ensure that all Maldivians are mentally and physically healthy and that people are protected from diseases and other harms to their health.

He said the Bill also seeks to establish a comprehensive health care system that can be provided with adequate safety and quality in a sustainable manner, and to establish standards and procedures for providing preventive care services within the system.

The Bill also adds clauses to bring in a public health system that surrounds the country's health system, and adds to the Bill the creation of a post called the Director General of Health Service to carry out these activities under his supervision.

The Bill was adopted by the Parliament with 82 of the 85 members present in the house voting in favour and sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice for further study.