The National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) has attributed delays in payments for therapy and treatment of persons with disabilities to incomplete or missing documentation.

The explanation was provided during a meeting with the Parliament’s Petitions Committee, which was held in response to a petition filed by individuals alleging delays in receiving reimbursements for disability-related services.

During the session, NSPA CEO Heena Waleed explained that after receiving therapy or treatment, individuals are required to submit payment slips and relevant supporting documents for reimbursement. She noted that payments are calculated based on past service payments and other criteria, and delays occur when required documents from therapy centres are incomplete or missing.

In addition to explaining the procedural challenges, NSPA presented financial data to illustrate the scale of its support for persons with disabilities. As of March 2025, 675 individuals have received therapeutic treatment, with expenses reaching approximately MVR 25 million. This figure represents a 91 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, reflecting a growing demand for therapy services.

The agency also highlighted its spending from the previous year, reporting that MVR 96 million was allocated for therapy services in 2024. Of this, MVR 4.2 million was used to support Maldivians with disabilities receiving therapy abroad.

Currently, 1,357 individuals are registered with NSPA for therapy services. This includes 675 adults whose treatment costs total MVR 25.4 million, 652 children under 18 receiving support valued at MVR 24.8 million, and 30 individuals overseas, with a combined treatment cost of MVR 1.2 million.

Looking ahead, NSPA said it is actively working to digitalise its operations, including its workforce and service delivery processes. The agency expects this transition to be completed within the year.