Parliament accepts bill to transfer NSPA to Gender Ministry

Parliament has accepted the legislative amendment to the National Health Insurance System Act designed to transfer the management of National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) to Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services.

NSPA is currently under the management of Ministry of Health.

The legislative amendment, submitted on behalf of the Maldivian administration by Manadhoo MP Ahmed Haroon, was accepted into the Parliament for consideration with the vote of 65 parliamentarians this Monday.

Haroon says the management of NSPA should be under the Gender Ministry – which is charged with social affairs responsibilities, instead of the Health Ministry – which is charged formulating health service polices.

His bill calls for the amendment of the word “minister” in Article 42 (a) of the National Health Insurance System Act to “the cabinet minister charged with formulating social services policies”.

The amendment is designed to come to effect the moment it passed by the Parliament, ratified by the President, and published on the Government Gazette.

The bill has been sent to a parliamentary committee for evaluation.