President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has announced the government's efforts to expand the Aasandha scheme to cover medical treatment for Maldivians in Thailand and Dubai.
Speaking to reporters at Velana International Airport after his visit to China at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, he emphasized the need to end the exclusive reliance on medical facilities on a single country for Aasandha services.
Currently, many Maldivians seek medical treatment under Aasandha in Cochin and Trivandrum annually.
"Instead of Aasandha being a service available just at specific medical facilities in a certain country or region, we will broaden Aasandha to better quality countries, like UAE and Thailand," the President stated.
This expansion would cover accommodation costs, he confirmed, adding, "then, until such a time as when the Maldivian health services are developed to better quality, [those seeking medical services] will go to top-tier hospitals in quality locations like Dubai and Bangkok".
The President mentioned diversifying essential supplies, signing an agreement with Turkey for the import of sugar and rice to the Maldives. This move aims to reduce reliance on a single source, particularly India, for these items.
While diplomatic tensions between the Maldives and India have arisen due to derogatory remarks by three Maldivian deputy ministers about a video promoting Indian tourism, the President refrained from direct comments on the matter.
The government clarified that the ministers' views did not represent the official stance and emphasized the importance of expressing opinions in a democratic and responsible manner.
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