Aasandha Services Suspended at Lanka Hospitals

Aasandha services have been suspended at Lanka Hospitals in Colombo, Sri Lanka, following a failure to renew the service agreement, according Aasandha.

Previous agreements with the hospital had been renewed before their expiration, but both sides were unable to reach a consensus on specific terms for the current renewal.

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The suspension has raised concerns among Maldivians who frequently seek medical treatment at the facility. Many Maldivians currently in Colombo have expressed frustration, as they were informed of the change only upon arrival at the hospital.

Aasandha maintains agreements with 60 overseas hospitals to support medical treatment for Maldivians, including eight facilities in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is among the countries where Aasandha provides medical services for Maldivians living abroad under the government’s ‘Merana’ scheme, which covers some 1,800 Maldivians residing in the country.

An audit report by the Auditor General’s Office, released on Tuesday, reviewed the performance of Aasandha and the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) between 2019 and 2024. The report found that MVR 35.8 billion was spent on medical treatment during this period, averaging MVR 5.9 billion per year, with MVR 16 billion allocated to Aasandha alone.

International financial institutions have consistently recommended that the Maldives target subsidies and medical assistance to low‑income groups, but successive administrations have not implemented these suggestions. The audit proposes several corrective measures, including introducing a targeted subsidy system, setting maximum retail prices for medicines, implementing a co‑payment system for patients seeking treatment abroad, and strengthening preventive healthcare to reduce long‑term costs.