Ghassan says pres not involved in medical evacuation decisions

Defence Minister Ghassan Maumoon has said that the president's permission is not required to conduct operations related to medical evacuations and that since 2021, the bulk of the medical evacuations have been carried out via Maldivian Airline.

The use of India-donated Dornier aircraft, which was used to transport patients by air, has been discontinued since the arrival of this government.

Responding to the criticism, Defence Minister Ghassan wrote on 'X' on Saturday that from 2021, 93% of medical evacuations has been carried out through the national airline Maldivian.

The minister also said that medical evacuation operations do not require the president's permission.

"The SOP of medical operation does not include informing the President or getting his permission. It is coordinated by the relevant agencies," he said in response to allegations that the transportation of patients in Dornier aircraft was stopped at the behest of President Mohamed Muizzu.

Statistics do show that a large percentage of medical evacuations have been carried out through Maldivian, and the national airline's flight schedule has given priority to patients who need to be airlifted in an emergency, Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Mohammed Amin said on Saturday evening.