The government has transferred medical welfare services previously handled by the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) to the Aasandha Company to streamline healthcare assistance and address difficulties caused by services being managed by two separate entities.
From 1 June, five categories of medical assistance previously administered by NSPA will come under Aasandha.
Services Transferred to Aasandha
The consolidated services include medical support related to specialised treatment and overseas healthcare, including assistance for patients with Gaucher’s disease and cancer, provision of medicines unavailable locally, and financial support for essential treatments not covered under existing lists.
The transfer also covers overseas treatment arrangements, including additional travel assistance, referrals abroad, hospital changes, and support for patients requiring follow-up care or repatriation after treatment.
Other areas include assistance for students receiving medical care overseas, support for patients who self-fund treatment abroad, coverage extensions under emergency situations, and reconsideration of welfare applications following committee review.
Move to Centralise Medical Assistance
Minister of Health, Family and Social Welfare Geela Ali said the restructuring aims to centralise medical welfare services under a single system, allowing applications and patient information to be processed more efficiently.
The minister said the previous arrangement required the public to approach both Aasandha and NSPA for different forms of assistance, creating delays and administrative complications. She said the new structure would allow for more coordinated handling of cases and improved clarity for applicants.
The Health Ministry confirmed that all ongoing requests submitted to NSPA will be processed by Aasandha from 1 June onwards. It added that Aasandha will also assume responsibility for providing information and guidance on the transferred services.
