Parliament of Maldives has passed to change National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) under Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services. The amendment proposed to the National Social Health Insurance Act was approved unanimously with 70 votes.
The amendment submitted by Parliamentarian Ahmed Haroon on behalf of the administration proposed to shift the managing of NSPA under gender ministry tasked with providing social services rather than keeping it under Ministry of Health tasked to provide health services.
Since its establishment in 2011, NSPA was managed and operated by health ministry. However, the current administration has formed a ministry to oversee societal issues and services.
While the total authority of NSPA is now given to gender ministry, on January 7, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had shifted some responsibilities of NSPA to gender ministry.
NSPA said although its operation was shifted under gender ministry, the mandate of the agency will be unchanged.