Medical checkups introduced within Aasandha Scheme

Government has introduced medical checkup services within the “Husnuvaa Aasandha” Scheme.

Aasandha noted that the decision would help minimize the number of patients who struggle with terminal illnesses, help diagnose terminal illnesses within the early stages, and held decrease government expenditure on treatment of patients with terminal illnesses.

The service was launched by Minister of Heath, Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, in a ceremony held at Orchid Hall in Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital on Thursday.

Speaking during the ceremony, Nazim said that the biggest benefit to the people of the country, by the end of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s two terms in office, would be the development in Maldivian health sector.

He said that it would bring far greater comfort to the people than any infrastructure development project.

“The vision President Yameen has in providing health services needed by Maldivian citizens will come to fruition by the end of 10-years. This project will tap at the thinnest capillary within each and every Maldivian citizen,” said Nazim.

Chief Executive Officer of National Social Protection Agency (NSPA), Mujthaba Jaleel said that the checkup services through Aasandha would be available every other year. And that a special checkup program would be designed for five age categories.

The categories are:

• Below 6 years of age

• 6 – 18 years of age

• 19 – 35 years of age

• 35 -65 years of age

• Above 65 years of age

Mujthaba said that the medical checkup services through Aasandha would be available in all Maldivian islands by December.

He said that the services would be established by prioritizing most populated atolls first.

In addition, the government also celebrated Maldivian health centers being linked through the new - Aasandha e-portal.

Minister Nazim said that the e-portal would help collect specific information regarding the medicine issued every day by health centers on each Maldivian island and help identify common illnesses and patterns.

He noted that the software would cut down the paperwork, expenditure and workload.

“The information collected through e-portal will be instrumental in designing our policies, future plans, and its implementation,” said Nazim.

CEO of NSPA, Mujthaba said that the e-portal was already being used in two Atolls, and that it will be expanded to cover the entire country by December.