Kudu urges President to introduce therapy card to regulate costs and strengthen disability support

A proposal has been submitted to the President to introduce a “therapy card system” for children with disabilities.

The motion was put forward by MDP MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudu).

In his letter to the President, Kudu said he had received numerous complaints about the rising cost of therapy services for children with disabilities, noting that the state was paying large sums to clinics on their behalf.

He proposed introducing a therapy card system to improve the quality of therapy and treatment services, strengthen accountability, and ensure better access to support.

Kudu said that as the ‘guardian’ of the nation, it is the President’s responsibility to ensure that national systems, particularly services for children with disabilities, function properly. He therefore urged the government to implement an immediate solution.

According to the paper submitted with the letter, the therapy card would be non‑withdrawable and operate as a two‑sided system that service providers can verify. It would also prevent billing for days when therapy sessions are not taken. Other proposals outlined in the paper include:

• Issuing the card through NSPA in collaboration with BML  

• Allowing the card to be used only at registered therapy and disability‑support providers  

• Registering and approving the card after a medical assessment is submitted to NSPA  

• Allowing parents to choose any registered therapy centre  

• Requiring a progress report every six months  

Kudu said the proposal was developed after reviewing international models, learning from their successes, and adapting the concept into a system that could be effectively implemented in the Maldives.