Maldivians granted access to organ transplantation services from Sri Lanka

Maldivian citizens have been granted permission to obtain organ transplantation services from health facilities in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has a ban on organ transplantation services to non-citizens, but has allowed select Maldivian patients access to organ transplantation services through the Maldivian government since June.

The decision to exempt Maldivian citizens from Sri Lanka’s ban organ transplantation services to non-citizens was announced in a joint-statement by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih this Monday.

The decision makes Maldives the first country to be granted the exemption.

A large number of Maldivian citizens travel to neighboring Sri Lanka for healthcare services each year.

PM Wickremesinghe, in his statement this Monday, pledged to lift travel restrictions on Maldivian citizens.

“I know Sri Lanka is your second home. I would certainly like to see unnecessary travel restrictions, all these travel restrictions faced by Maldivians [lifted],” said Wickremesinghe.