Maldives has extended its universal health insurance scheme, Aasandha, to cover kidney transplants in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Until now, Aasandha coverage was limited to select hospitals in India and Sri Lanka.
However, expanding the coverage to UAE and Thailand remains a presidential pledge of Dr Mohamed Muizzu.
In line with the pledge, Maldives in December last year, signed agreements with Burjeel Medical City in the UAE, as well as World Medical Hospital and Bangkok Hospital in Thailand to expand Aasandha coverage.
Aasandha Company Limited said patients will be referred to these hospitals under the scheme from Wednesday.
The company said patients waiting for kidney transplants will be offered the opportunity from UAE.
According to Aasandha, several patients suffering from kidney failure without first degree donors or parents, children and siblings not cross-matched for a transplant have been identified, adding that currently, the countries these patients travel to only allow for first degree transplants.
However, the UAE, under the directive of a special board allows kidney donations from relatives outside the first degree provided that the donor is a Muslim and a Maldivian National.
So arrangements have now been made with the UAE hospital to offer kidney transplant services to Maldivians, it said.
Aasandha also revealed ongoing efforts to add more UAE hospitals to the scheme’s coverage.
According to Aasandha, there are three patients whose relatives are not first degree donors have already registered for kidney transplants.
Patients who have been treated multiple times through a medical center in India or Sri Lanka without improvement can also seek a second opinion or treatment from the hospitals in Thailand or UAE under the advise of healthcare professionals, it added.
The same conditions under the current regulation under which patients are referred to hospitals abroad will apply, the company said, adding that airfare, treatment costs, food and accommodation will be covered both in Thailand and UAE.
Airfare, food and accommodation of the donor travelling with patients for kidney transplants from UAE will also be covered under the scheme, Aasandha said.