Universal health insurance provider 'Aasandha' on Monday denied allegations that the ruling party's embarrassing defeat in Saturday's local council elections had prompted the government to suddenly limit the scheme to only state health care facilities.
Aasandha Company had announced the decision via an impromptu circular late Sunday saying that the universal health insurance would no longer cover any private health care providers. The decision was made by the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) board in order to review and revise the current regulation.
The sudden nature of the decision had understandably sparked media and public outrage aiming intense criticism of the government.
President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom however, had quickly intervened to reverse the decision insisting that the government had no way instructed the move to limit the insurance scheme.
Speaking during a program on government aligned Channel 13 on Monday, Aasandha Company's manager Afsana Fahmy insisted that the scheme had included private health care providers as the country's main state hospital Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) did not have necessary facilities.
But as more services and facilities have been added in recent years with unprecedented development to IGMH had prompted the decision to exclude private health care providers from the state funded health insurance scheme.
"That was in no way connected to the result of the elections. We had informed all the private hospitals and clinics in December that we were reviewing the agreements in a bid to cut-down costs. So the decision was part of that," she explained.
Afasana also assured that following president Yameen's decision, Aasandha would now be available at all private clinics barring the privately run ADK hospital.
"Aasandha would be available at ADK once we renew our agreement with them," she added.
The government’s health insurance scheme, “Husnuvaa Aasandha”- health insurance for all without a ceiling was launched by President Yameen in February 2014, as part of his key electoral pledge to provide comprehensive medicare for a healthy population.
