Parliament Refers Organ Transplant Bill Back to Social Committee

The Organ Transplant Bill, which was returned by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu without ratification, has been referred back to Parliament’s Social Committee for further consideration.

The bill seeks to establish a legal framework for organ transplantation in the Maldives. Among its key objectives are setting standards for organ transplant facilities, outlining the rights of transplant recipients, and defining the responsibilities and rights of healthcare providers involved in organ transplantation services.

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In a letter sent to Parliament, President Muizzu expressed concerns over amendments introduced during the parliamentary review process that would allow organ donation by detainees.

The President stated that individuals in detention may not be in a position to provide consent entirely free from pressure or influence.

“It seems unlikely that detainees are subject to special circumstances where their free will and liberty are guided and they can consent to something like organ donation with full consent and without coercion of any kind,” the President wrote in his letter.

During parliamentary debate on the matter, Galolhu North MP Mohamed Ibrahim, commonly known as Kudu, criticised the length of time taken to complete work on the bill.

He noted that the legislation had been sent to the Social Committee on 21 October 2025 and was initially scheduled for a committee vote on 25 November 2025. However, work on the bill did not proceed as planned and took around seven months to complete.

Mohamed Ibrahim highlighted the need for legislation that would facilitate organ transplantation, particularly for patients awaiting kidney transplants. He said there are many people currently in need of such procedures.

The MP also remarked that the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), which holds a supermajority in Parliament, has the ability to amend legislation while it is under committee review. He argued that a bill of this nature should not have taken several months to finalise and stressed the importance of completing legislation that addresses urgent healthcare needs.

During the same sitting, Parliament also rejected a motion submitted by opposition MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem seeking a review of councillors’ salaries.

The motion received support from opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs, while ruling party MPs questioned its purpose and necessity.

Speaking on the motion, Meekail said its primary aim was to review the salaries of councillors, which he argued are lower than those received by some administrative officers working within local councils.