All services previously delivered under the National Social Protection Agency’s (NSPA) Medical Welfare programme have been transferred to the Aasandha health insurance scheme, the Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare has announced.
In a statement, the ministry said that, effective from today, all Medical Welfare services will now be provided through Aasandha, the government-funded universal health insurance scheme.
Minister of Health Geela Ali said the changes mean service seekers will no longer need to apply to two separate institutions to access Medical Welfare services, adding that the reform is intended to ease procedures and improve public access to assistance.
އިޢުލާން-"މެޑިކަލް ވެލްފެއަރ ސްކީމް"ގެ ދަށުން ދެމުންގެންދާ ޚިދުމަތްތައް އާސަންދަ ކުންފުނީގެ ދަށަށް ބަދަލުކުރުމާއިގުޅޭ pic.twitter.com/uf9kX3kgw8— Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare (@MoHmv) May 31, 2026
The Medical Welfare programme previously covered a wide range of specialised assistance services, including:
- Importing and supplying medication for individuals suffering from Gaucher’s disease.
- Providing essential medication required to proceed with cancer treatment.
- Assisting individuals seeking medications needed to continue treatment that are unavailable in the Maldives or not included on the Approved Drug List.
- Providing financial assistance to procure unavailable or commonly required medications needed to proceed with treatment.
- Providing additional tickets for individuals requiring medical treatment abroad covered under Aasandha.
- Providing assistance for health-related issues faced by students studying abroad.
- Providing assistance for tests and investigations not covered by public hospitals or Aasandha.
- Providing assistance for various equipment, machines (assistive devices), and medical consumables required to proceed with treatment.
- Assisting individuals (within established guidelines) who require aid to return to the Maldives after a specialist confirms no further treatment can be given, or to return to their home island after completing treatment.
- Managing follow-up care for thalassaemia children after bone marrow transplants.
- Providing assistance regarding difficulties encountered after travelling abroad for medical treatment at one’s own expense.
- Processing referrals for seeking medical treatment abroad.
- Changing the designated hospital for overseas medical treatment and obtaining the necessary consent.
- Increasing the coverage limit under the Merana Scheme for Maldivians registered in the programme if an emergency situation arises.
- Advising patients to seek a second opinion if the doctor filling out referral forms from an island is not a registered specialist, with applications rejected if criteria are not met or if treatment is available in Malé but not the patient’s island.
- Reviewing cases by the committee upon receiving appeals from individuals sent under a capped welfare scheme limit, and increasing the limit or providing additional assistance after reconsideration.
The Ministry of Health said the services will now be administered centrally through Aasandha, the state’s national health insurance scheme.
