Aasandha assures national healthcare scheme for ADK hospital

Aasandha Company proclaimed that there is no obstruction for ADK Company to provide Aasandha service, the national healthcare scheme of the Maldives, but stated that they have proposed to bring some changes to the agreement between the company and hospital.

Speaking to Mihaaru, Managing Director of Aasandha Company Maumoon Abdul Samad said that Aasandha services are now again offered from all healthcare institutions except ADK Hospital, the largest private hospital in the Maldives.

Maumoon stated that their agreement with ADK is the same as with other hospitals and health centres, but he said that the company is looking to add more subjects to its contract with ADK.

Aasandha had abruptly announced late Saturday that it is curtailing its services to only state hospitals and medical centres. However, the President’s Office declared the following Monday that the national healthcare scheme has been restored to hospitals of the private sector as well.

However, the Managing Director of ADK Hospital Ahmed Afaal has since claimed that the agreement between the hospital and Aasandha Company was terminated after Saturday. ADK added that the service will resume as soon as they renew the agreement with Aasandha Company.

While some people have accused the state of deliberately limiting the healthcare scheme to harass the people due to the government's failure in the recent Local Council Elections, Aasandha MD Maumoon denied the allegations. He assured that all institutions involved were informed via mail of Aasandha Company's decision to limit the scheme long before vote counting began in the elections.

He further said that the scheme is always changing, adding that the expanding services of Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital and Hulhumale Hospital will eventually lower the number of patients that have to be sent abroad for further treatment.

Maumoon also denied rumours that the scheme was limited due to lack of funds. He proclaimed that the increasing number of people who seek Aasandha is testimony of the scheme's efficiency and that funds are being spent accordingly.