Applications Open for Monthly Allowance for Thalassemia Patients

Applications have opened for a newly introduced monthly allowance for thalassemia patients, following the government’s announcement that individuals living with the condition will receive MVR 2,000 per month.

The Thalassemia Centre issued the official rules stating that the allowance will be provided to patients registered in the Centre’s official registry. Payments will begin next month for applicants whose forms are approved.

Under the guidelines, the allowance will be disbursed before the 10th of every month. The current month has been designated for patients to submit applications in order to be included in the registry. Payments will be issued through the National Social Protection Agency.

The rules also specify circumstances under which the allowance will be discontinued. These include a determination by the Thalassemia Centre that the patient no longer requires treatment, a formal request by the patient to stop receiving the benefit, or the death of the patient.

The special allowance was approved by the President as part of a campaign pledge made during the presidential election. He had committed to introducing a government-funded allowance for children with thalassemia, stating that it would provide significant relief to affected families.

In addition to the allowance, the government has pledged to arrange free bone marrow transplants for thalassemia patients. Plans are also underway to construct a dedicated thalassemia hospital. The Vice President announced in February last year that work would begin soon, and the project was awarded to a Malaysian company in mid-October.