Aasandha services used by 150,000 people over three months: Abbas Adil Riza

Spokesperson of President’s Office Abbas Adil Riza has said that 150,000 people have used medical services 250,000 times thus far this year through the free national healthcare scheme Aasandha; however, these numbers are hard to believe for a period of just three months, and it is likely that something wrong had taken place.

Riza who is currently accompanying President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik in his visit to Thaa Atoll, said in an interview with Sun today that the fact that more than half the population obtained medical services more than once over a period of three months, is ‘hard to comprehend’. He believes that Aasandha scheme had been operated in a manner which facilitated corruption.

Despite Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s allegations that the government is attempting to cease Aasandha services, Riza said that the government has no such intention, and that the President had stated that Aasandha will be modified such that it benefits citizens in more ways than it does today.

“The President said in his speech made in Guraidhoo that Aasandha will continue, it’s services will not be ceased. The system will be modified such that citizens benefit from it more than they do today,” Riza said.

National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) has said that Aasandha scheme does not fit the regulations pertaining to health insurance. In order to amend Aasandha so that it fits the regulations, the decision has been made to change the agreements between Aasandha Company and health service providers, to agreements between Aasandha Company and NSPA.