Aasandha medical insurance services are set to be introduced in the United Arab Emirates in the near future, according to Chief Spokesperson at the President’s Office Mohamed Hussain Shareef.

The announcement was made during the inaugural session of “Press with Spokes,” a newly launched weekly press briefing series scheduled to be held every Thursday.

Responding to a question from a journalist regarding the government’s Aasandha scheme, Shareef stated that efforts are currently underway to facilitate access to Aasandha services in the UAE.

He noted that groundwork for the initiative had already begun during his tenure as Ambassador to the UAE, with the National Social Protection Agency initiating steps to expand coverage for Maldivians residing in or travelling to the country.

He further revealed that similar efforts are ongoing to extend Aasandha services to Thailand.

The expansion forms part of a broader government initiative launched last year to diversify access to healthcare under the Aasandha scheme.

Under these arrangements, patients will be referred to the UAE and Thailand for treatments and medical conditions that are not currently covered in existing partner countries such as India and Sri Lanka.