The national universal health insurance scheme Aasandha is to be extended to Maldivian nationals living in Malaysia.
President Mohamed Waheed announced Sunday (August 11) during his two-day unofficial visit to the country that Maldivians living in Malaysia would be covered by Aasandha.
Waheed made the announcement during a meeting with Maldivian expatriates, Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Parliamentary Group Leader MP Dr Abdulla Mausoom – who traveled to Malaysia with the president – told local media.
“But the president had not revealed details. But he said it would be arranged soon,” said Mausoom.
In July, the Government of Maldives announced they would be expanding the Aasandha universal health insurance for Maldives nationals with resident visas in Sri Lanka and India to specific “empanelled” hospitals.
National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) Chair and State Minister State for Health Thoriq Ali Luthfee previously said that to coincide with the Islamic Holy month of Ramadan, Maldives nationals residing in India and Sri Lanka would now be covered for 397 surgical and medical procedures under the universal health scheme.
The coverage will be available at a set number of hospitals that have already been providing services under Aasandha in Sri Lanka and India.
The Aasandha universal health insurance program was introduced by former President Mohamed Nasheed’s government in January 2012 and retained by President Waheed’s administration after the controversial transfer of power in February the same year.
The scheme, a public-private partnership with Allied Insurance, covers up to MVR100,000 (US$6500) in healthcare costs for Maldives nationals with valid national identity cards.
State Minister Luthfee claimed that the extension of the services to Maldivians residing in Sri Lanka and India was possible as a result of cutting systematic “waste” from the Aasandha system present from its inception under the previous government.
Sun Online meanwhile reported last week that the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) owed foreign hospitals US$400,000 as a result of the country’s ongoing foreign currency shortage, with at least one facility in Sri Lanka suspending Aasandha service.
“We have Maldivian rufiya, we can’t get dollars. We have been asking government companies to sell dollars; this has been going on for a long time now. How can we pay in dollars if we can’t get dollars?” NSPA Chairman Luthfee told Sun Online.
Luthfee said while Kooddoo Fisheries and the Maldives Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) had previously assisted with the problem, the companies were no longer in a position to do so.
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Malaysia medicare is expensive I wonder how much of a premium is required for such a scheme. The assanda would have been much more useful for more Maldivians if it was extended across India to more hospitals, into Bangalore, Madras. Majority of Maldivians could not afford to fly that far to Malaysia let alone cover the living cost while waiting for medicare.
What motivated this move I wonder.
If you elect Yameen, he has promised that all Maldivians living on the moon will also get this Aasandha.
“But the president had not revealed details. But he said it would be arranged soon,” said Mausoom.
"Soon", right. So, Mausoom, where's that US$300 million dollars he was going to get "soon" from Saudi Arabia? How's that coming along? They are already in the bank vaults, I take it? Perhaps they are financing Waheed's trip to Malaysia too.
@Logal Sumaari kaleyge on Mon, 12th Aug 2013 7:26 PM
Simple answer is, votes and arrogance.
Of course no one would have done a realistic impact on the budget. If someone actually ran the numbers through, they would find this a looming disaster in financial numbers.
It's all about who can commit the most objectives and have the most daring pre-election promises made which they would not keep, or rather cannot keep anyways.
Another shot in the foot. Yet again.
Please, please, please Mr Maldivian Health Minister DO NOT EXTEND THE ASSANDA SCHEME TO INDIAN CITIES.
We Indians don't need your money AND THE VERY THOUGHT of thousands of sickly, drug addicted Maldivians clogging up our already overstretched health system gives me the creeps.....our low cost health service is primarily for Indians and not for foreigners with whom we have nothing in common.
Why don't you extend the ASSANDA scheme to Pakistan? The Paki's need the money and you people have sooooo much in common too.....not just your intolerant faith. I hear the drug rehab clinics in Pakistan are particularly good.