Laws pertaining to organ transplant to be formulated

Health Minister Abdulla Khaleel, on Thursday, revealed efforts are underway to formulate the legislature required to commence organ transplant services in the Maldives and subsequently, submit it as a bill to the parliament.

Speaking at a Health Ministry press conference on Thursday, Minister Khaleel said the Ministry is hoping to incept a law governing organ transplant in the Maldives through the incoming parliamentary assembly. Once the law takes effect, organ transplant services will be available in the Maldives, he added.

The Minister cited organ transplant service as a service that can only be provided through comprehensive regulations. On this note, he detailed that the service is implemented under specific laws in countries where organ transplant is offered.

“These are not matters to be undertaken without it (law) coming into force, or even if without a law, without comprehensive regulations,” he stressed.

Although laws and regulations pertaining to organ transplant does not presently exist, Minister Khaleel said Health Ministry is presently undertaking efforts to facilitate funding and other easements for parties that wish to provide the service.

He noted that some private sector hospitals had expressed interest in commencing the service.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Tree Top Hospital’s CEO Adil Moosa revealed they are undertaking efforts to launch kidney transplant service. 

He said the hospital expressed interest in commencing kidney transplant service with the government, following which discussions in this trajectory have been held since 2020. 

Underscoring kidney transplant and liver transplant as common services provided abroad - Adil said these services are not provided in the Maldives due to lack of regulations and laws pertaining to it, as well as lack of procedure on the provision of the services.