In his Presidential Address at the opening of Parliament for 2025, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to enhancing the Aasandha health insurance scheme, making it more equitable and efficient.

He announced major reforms aimed at ensuring nationwide access to affordable, high-quality medicines without unnecessary travel.

As part of these reforms, all pharmacies operating under the Aasandha scheme will be required to display an official name plaque, confirming their role in serving the public.

Additionally, the Government will standardise the pricing of Aasandha-covered medicines to prevent price discrepancies across different pharmacies.

The President emphasised that this measure is intended to eliminate unfair profit-making by certain groups and ensure that every rufiyaa spent directly benefits citizens.

President Dr Muizzu also acknowledged ongoing challenges within the Aasandha system, particularly instances of misuse for personal gain. He highlighted key improvements introduced last year, including the bulk procurement of high-quality medicines and price regulations for 250 essential drugs to address long-standing inefficiencies.

Despite these efforts, he noted that some individuals continued to exploit the system, creating obstacles for the public.

However, he assured that the Government remains committed to strengthening oversight and will intensify its efforts in 2025 to prevent financial hardships for those relying on Aasandha for essential medications.