Aminath Shirna Appointed CEO of National Social Protection Agency

Aminath Shirna has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA), following recent changes within the government.

She succeeds Heena Waleed, who previously held the post before being reassigned as Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage as part of a broader cabinet restructuring.

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Shirna previously served as a Minister of State at the Ministry of Health, where she was involved in agreements to sponsor bone marrow transplants for thalassemia patients in the Maldives. 

Congratulations to Aminath Shirna on her appointment as CEO of NSPA. Wishing her continued success in this important role. pic.twitter.com/WCcDPbdLQs— Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare (@MoHmv) May 4, 2026

Her appointment to NSPA comes amid past scrutiny over her role in handling thalassemia-related healthcare issues. In March last year, families of thalassemia patients staged a protest near Maldives Blood Services, calling for the resignation of the Thalassaemia Centre’s management. Protesters raised concerns over the use of faulty equipment for blood transfusions, which they said led to significant blood wastage. They also called for Shirna’s removal, alleging negligence in addressing patients’ concerns—particularly in facilitating access to bone marrow transplant procedures.

Following the protests, the President announced that the Thalassaemia Centre would be brought under the direct oversight of his office, with changes to its management aimed at improving services. The centre was subsequently relocated to Orange Hiya on a temporary basis, as the government moved forward with plans to demolish and redevelop the former facility to make way for a new general practitioner (GP) clinic on the same site.

In parallel, the government awarded a separate project last year to a Malaysian company to construct a dedicated thalassemia hospital in Hulhumalé Phase II. The planned facility, to be built on a 71,000-square-foot plot, is a key priority of President Mohamed Muizzu’s administration. The project includes provisions for specialised services, including bone marrow transplants for eligible patients.