Ministry of Health has stated that the coverage of national health insurance, Aasandha, for issues related to pregnancy will be broadened.
The Parliamentary Committee on Social Affairs has held discussions with the health ministry and Aasandha Company Limited regarding a resolution submitted to broaden insurance coverage for issues related to pregnancy. The resolution was submitted by Parliamentarian Meekail Ahmed Naseem in order to improve the health coverage of citizens under the national health insurance scheme to guarantee their right to treatment. The resolution highlighted that essential medicine needed to treat issues during pregnancy are unavailable in the Maldives.
Speaking at a meeting with the committee, Managing Director of Aasandha Ismail Azzam Wajeeh noted that many countries have policies and treatments established to treat issues related to pregnancy and that the Maldives is in the process of formulating such policies. He acknowledged that pregnancy issues are a major medical and societal concern that will get bigger as the population grows.
Additionally, Wajeeh recommended that a survey be conducted to gain more information on women with issues related to pregnancy. He also said that the relevant policies should be established with conditions such as the length of prior treatment and the age of the patient.
Also at the meeting, Director General of Health Sciences at the Ministry of Health Dr. Ahmed Ashraf said that 440 men and 449 women sought treatment using Aasandha in 2021, which includes treatment for pregnancy and mental health issues. He also said that the ministry is working to increase the coverage for lab tests and scans for pregnancy issues.
However, Aasandha stated that the only recorded data is on whether a person has sought treatment using the national health insurance and that there are many individuals travel abroad for treatment or choose not to seek treatment.