Aasandha expansion to UAE and Thailand will not reduce number of beneficiaries: Minister

Today, the Minister of Social and Family Development, Aishath Shiham, affirmed that despite the extension of Aasandha to Thailand and United Arab Emirates (UAE), renowned for their high-quality medical care and expensive healthcare costs, there will be no change in the number of individuals benefiting from Aasandha.

The minister’s remarks came following a question posed by Addu Meedhoo MP Rozaina Adam, who was summoned to the Parliament to address the issue.

MP Rozaina inquired about the scope of services offered in the two countries and questioned whether the government had decided to impose higher fees compared to those in India, and if such a decision would subsequently lead to a decrease in the number of individuals receiving these services.

In response, the Minister conveyed that efforts are underway to devise a policy that ensures alignment with the approved budget for Aasandha this year.

According to her, the service models, coverage of services and cost arrangements are currently under discussion and will be announced once it is finalized.

“We believe that there will be no reduction in the number of people receiving services and the quality of service will also remain uncompromised”, Minister said.

She further reiterated that the change will be brought by reducing the wasteful expenditure of Aasandha and making necessary changes to the system.

Following the Minister’s statement, several Parliament members asked about the commencement date for Aasandha medical treatment in the two countries. However, she did not address the question directly.

She stated that they are currently working on establishing a sustainable system that will not require further changes. She also said that the details of this system will be available to the public very soon.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu announced the expansion of Aasandha services after his visit to China. He said that he did not wish to make Aasandha, a government-funded free medical system, available only by going to medical facilities in a particular country.

He stated that he intends to expand Aasandha services to countries with better medical services.