Siyam Slams Aasandha Scheme as Ineffective and Corrupt

Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) president and Meedhoo MP Ahmed Siyam Mohamed has criticised the Aasandha health insurance scheme, alleging it has failed to benefit the healthcare sector and has been manipulated to divert state funds.

During a parliamentary debate today, discussing the Social Affairs Committee’s report on a bill to amend the Health Services Act, Siyam claimed the Maldives’ healthcare system had “completely failed” over the past 30 years. 

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He highlighted that while the country has hospitals, it lacks sufficient doctors and resources, leading to deteriorating conditions for patients travelling from islands for treatment.

Siyam stated, “People travelling from islands to access hospitals are getting sicker. Their illness isn’t alleviated. So, the entire health sector has failed. It is a complete and utter failure.” He criticised the Aasandha scheme, intended to enhance healthcare, arguing that it has not delivered the expected benefits and has instead led to state funds being misappropriated. He called for a fundamental reform of the healthcare system.

In contrast, Velidhoo MP Mohamed Abbas, another MDA member, endorsed the committee’s report and described the proposed amendments as “good” given the country’s economic situation. Abbas responded to criticisms from lawmakers of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), who had governed from 2018 to 2023. 

He accused the previous administration of focusing on centralising healthcare services in Male’ while neglecting island facilities, which suffered from a lack of staff and resources.

Abbas asserted, “These facilities lack staff. They lack the resources to treat even minor injuries. They ended their five-year term by leaving the state bankrupt and destroying the entire healthcare system.”

Statistics reveal a significant increase in Aasandha expenditure, which has risen by 60 percent over the past five years. Spending on the scheme in 2023 was 40 percent higher than in 2018. By the end of the second quarter of this year, a substantial portion of the allocated MVR 1.9 billion budget had already been utilised.