Emergency motion to ensure uninterrupted Aasandha dismissed

An emergency motion submitted to the Parliament by opposition MDP seeking to ensure the government’s free health insurance scheme, Aasandha, remains uninterrupted has been dismissed by the speaker.

The emergency motion was submitted by MDP’s North Galolhu MP Mohamed Ibrahim.

The motion underscored that Aasandha, since its introduction in 2011, had been implemented with funding from the state budget. On the contrary, it was stressed in the motion that some hospitals and clinics have ceased Aasandha service which has prompted concern among the public over having to cover their medical expenses from their own pockets.

As per MP Ibrahim Mohamed, the motion was submitted to ensure uninterrupted Aasandha and to bring the issue to the attention of the government. However, the motion was dismissed by Parliament Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla citing it fails to meet the requirements of an emergency motion.

“The issue raised in an emergency motion must be a sudden event. An event that has taken place over the past seven days,” he detailed.

Henceforth, the Speaker said a vote cannot be proceeded on the matter.

Notably, this marks the second emergency motion that has been dismissed without asking for a vote; the first one being another emergency motion submitted by MP Ibrahim Mohamed regarding delays in banning Israeli passport. 

The government has affirmed that no citizen will be excluded from Aasandha with the reforms being made to the national health insurance scheme. The reforms were initiated over private companies leveraging Aasandha to earn a profit.