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Shahid speaks at the rally. (Photo/MDP)

Aasandha's UAE, Thailand rules hinder patient access, Shahid says

Shahid criticised the government's decision to halt some of the services previously available through Aasandha.

17 January 2025

Government has extended the Aasandha national health insurance scheme to include hospitals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Thailand, but the new policy prevent patients from traveling to the newly added destinations for treatment, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) President Abdulla Shahid said Thursday.

The Aasandha programme, expanded on Wednesday, now covers one hospital in the UAE and two hospitals in Bangkok. According to a statement by Aasandha, priority will be given to specific categories of patients:

  • First priority: Patients requiring kidney transplants who do not have a first-degree donor.

  • Second priority: Patients who have not seen sufficient progress despite repeated treatments in hospitals in neighbouring countries such as India or Sri Lanka.

The statement also noted plans to expand the service to additional areas in the future.

Addressing a rally, Abdulla Shahid claimed that while the expansion aligns with President Mohamed Muizzu's promises, the current rules make it difficult for patients to utilise the services in the UAE and Thailand.

"Today I met an elderly man who said, ‘Abdulla Shahid, do you know the conditions in the rules?’ He explained that despite visiting Dubai and Bangkok, he couldn’t access the treatment he needed," Shahid said.

According to Shahid, the man shared his struggles with receiving adequate treatment for kidney and heart conditions under the Aasandha scheme. He reportedly stated that he could not access necessary medication through the program, nor did the prescribed medicines meet his needs.

Shahid criticised the government's decision to halt some of the services previously available through Aasandha in neighbouring countries, saying it has forced many people to seek alternative options for medical care.

The government has defended the changes to Aasandha, citing efforts to reduce waste in the programme. Officials claim that certain medicines under the scheme were excessively expensive and that the new structure requires patients to pay for some medications out of pocket.

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