Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) Heena Waleedh has reassured the public that the refunding of medicines purchased from abroad, which are not available locally, will persist as long as the bills for these medicines are presented.
Her statement comes in response to claims made by the opposition party, President of Abdulla Shahid, suggesting that individuals with chronic diseases are encountering difficulties purchasing necessary medications through Aasandha, the national health insurance scheme. Shahid cited a specific case to highlight this issue.
In response, CEO of NSPA Heena clarified that Aasandha does not directly cover or refund bills for medicines and health services obtained from abroad. However, she confirmed that the bill submitted by the individual mentioned in Shahid's post for purchasing medication from overseas had indeed been paid and covered by NSPA in December 2023.
Emphasising that refunding services for bills submitted after purchasing medications from abroad will continue to be provided by NSPA, Heena stressed that these policies are independent of the government. She assured citizens that these services will be offered to support individuals acquiring medicines from overseas, noting a significant number of bills refunded since President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu took office.
Furthermore, Heena denounced the previous administration for allegedly misusing NSPA and Aasandha policies for political gain. She urged senior officials to refrain from spreading false information to serve their political agendas.