The largest share of spending under the Aasandha national health insurance scheme continues to go toward pharmaceutical expenses, according to Aasandha Company Limited Managing Director Aminath Zeeniya.

Speaking on PSM, Zeeniya said medication costs consistently represent the biggest portion of the scheme’s annual expenditure, with more than 60 percent of Aasandha funds spent on pharmacy bills last year.

In addition to pharmaceutical expenses, Aasandha payments are allocated for treatment received at private clinics, local hospitals, and overseas medical facilities.

The company’s payment arrangements require reimbursements to be made to private healthcare providers rather than government institutions.

To support patients requiring treatment abroad, Aasandha has established partnerships with 57 medical institutions across India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.

The majority of these partner facilities are located in India.

The company evaluates hospitals before forming agreements, focusing on factors such as quality of healthcare services, availability of specialist treatment, and affordability.

These partnerships include structured package rates designed to manage treatment costs while ensuring access to advanced medical care.

The government allocated USD 131 million for Aasandha-related services in the current financial year.

By July 16, total spending had reached USD 76.52 million, marking a 10.2 percent increase compared with USD 69.39 million spent during the same period last year.

Meanwhile, spending under the medical welfare category declined during the same period, falling to USD 8.29 million from USD 12.02 million last year, representing a decrease of 30.9 percent.

The government had allocated USD 26.52 million for medical welfare services this year.

The continued rise in Aasandha expenditure reflects growing demand for healthcare services, particularly access to medicines and specialised treatment options available through local and international providers.