Number of people with disabilities on the rise: NSPA

The number of people with disabilities in Maldives is increasing year on year, according to data from the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA).

Statistics shared with Mihaaru News in May show a steady rise in the number of individuals registered in the National Register of Persons with Disabilities over the past seven years.

In 2019, there were 8,476 people on the register. As of April this year, that figure had risen to 14,412, an increase of 5,936 people.

Most of those currently registered are adults over the age of 18. Among children, the largest group are aged between 10 and 14, with 1,754 registered. This is followed by 1,603 children aged 5 to 9, and 506 children under the age of 4.

- 2020: 8,948

- 2021: 9,646

- 2022: 10,107

- 2023: 12,374

- 2024: 13,771

- Physical disability

- Multiple disabilities

- Intellectual disabilities

- Hearing and speech impairments

- Psychological disabilities

- Visual impairments

- Autism

- Learning disabilities

The largest group is those with physical disabilities, which increased from 2,551 in 2019 to 4,072 as of April.

NSPA noted that individuals with mental health conditions were officially included in the register from 2022, following a regulatory change. Since then, the number of registered cases in that category has risen significantly from 125 in 2022 to 1,545 in 2023, and 1,708 as of April this year.

While most categories have shown an upward trend, some have seen recent declines. The number of people with intellectual disabilities rose from 2,056 in 2019 to a peak of 2,461 in 2022, but dropped to 1,889 as of last month.

The number of individuals on the autism spectrum has remained relatively stable, with 586 registered in both 2019. The highest figure was in 2022, with 628 registered. Currently 586 individuals are registered in this category.

As the number of people on the disability register increases, so too does state expenditure. In April alone, the government spent MVR 51.2 million on financial assistance for 14,236 individuals.