More than USD 71 million has been spent on the Aasandha health insurance scheme so far this year, according to the Ministry of Finance and Planning. This is a 9.9 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
According to the Weekly Fiscal Development Report released by the Finance Ministry, the government spent USD 71.3 million on Aasandha from 1 January 1 to 17 July this year, compared to USD 64 million during the same period in 2024.
This year's state budget allocated USD 116 million for Aasandha. Therefore, the budget allocated for Aasandha now has a balance of about USD 44.7 million.
The government is working to strengthen the national healthcare system and reduce the number of people who have to travel abroad for medical treatment. As part of these efforts, changes were introduced in October 2024 to reduce unnecessary spending under Aasandha. Under the new policy, private insurance is given priority for medical treatment over Aasandha, with Aasandha providing coverage for those not covered privately.
The state currently spends more than USD 194.5 million annually on medical care, with a significant portion spent on medicine procurement. The government has now arranged for the import of medicines through bulk procurement to reduce costs.
The government has set a long-term goal for the health sector to reduce the expenditure under Aasandha and redirect the savings towards enhancing the health sector.