Aasandha Company Limited has revealed over USD 13.985 billion were disbursed to provide medical services from abroad last year. The amount is deemed to increase once the remaining invoices are processed, said the national healthcare insurance company.
In 2018, the company paid an additional USD 12.237 billion for medical services available in Maldives, according to statistics. The amount spent for services abroad last year is an increase of USD 63 million compared to 2017.
Speaking to media, Managing Director Mariyam Shafeeq said although healthcare services is provided free via the insurance scheme it must be utilised responsibly. If the expenses of the services increase, the total expenditure of the state will also increase, which may hinder the development of the country, she added.
Meanwhile, 344,401 patients sought treatment via Aasandha last year. The number of patients seeking Aasandha services have been increasing yearly, according to statistics.