MP Meekail pushes for Aasandha coverage for fertility treatments

South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem has submitted a parliamentary resolution calling for a nationwide study on rising infertility issues in Maldives and the inclusion of fertility treatments under Aasandha - the national social health insurance scheme.

Meekail presented his resolution at the Parliament on Monday morning.

Meekail said infertility issues were rising in Maldives and required urgent attention from the government.

He called on the government to expand and improve access to fertility treatments under Aasandha.

Meekail said the government needed to ascertain the right to equal and quality essential services under the law on the national social health insurance system and the law on provision of health services to all Maldivian people.

The law calls for the pooling of risk of people in different population groups based on economic status, social status, age, and health status, and to expand and ascertain the fairness of the national system, he said.

Meekail said the national social health insurance system currently severely constricts access to fertility treatments, leaving people undergoing fertility treatments unable to access medication they need on a regular basis.

Meekail said Aasandha does not cover even some of the most basic medication for infertility issues.

“Gaining access to services of fertility specialist is extremely difficult in Maldives, and there is no good research or statistics on this main issue,” he said.

Meekail said it was crucial for a nationwide study on infertility issues.

He called on the government to take immediate measures to address the issue, such as finding a way to expand access to basic fertility medication, and to find a comprehensive solution to the issue based on Maldives’ economic means.