Two thalassemia patients have flown overseas to undergo bone marrow transplants at the government's expense.
A child also departed with government assistance on December 14 to undergo a bone marrow transplant as part of health sector pledges under the government's 100-day roadmap.
Preparations are underway to send more children abroad for treatment next week, the Health Ministry said.
In addition to strengthening and expanding services currently available for thalassemia patients, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu decided to pave the way for free bone marrow transplants with the advice of the cabinet on December 10.
According to the Health Ministry, a team of foreign experts is currently in the Maldives to conduct final assessments for more children who have done the HLA tests for thalassemia bone marrow transplants. Children chosen by the team after the assessments are to be sent for treatment, the ministry said.
"The government is now making arrangements for doing the required tests in the Maldives in order to provide the opportunity for children who want to do the HLA. It has been planned for a foreign team to arrive in the country this January to make arrangements and the setup for doing the test and to hold a big camp for doing HLA next February. Samples taken to do HLA during the camp will be sent abroad for testing," the Health Ministry said.
The government has also made an agreement with the State Trading Organization (STO) to ensure easy access to medicine and consumables for thalassemia children and arrangements have now been made to make medicine available from their islands, Health Ministry informed the media.
In addition, efforts are also ongoing to establish facilities required at government hospitals for the "T2* test," the most important test for thalassemia patients, which is currently done through the private healthcare sector. The service will begin in February, the ministry said.
"The government is also working on securing the additional funds needed in order to provide the opportunity for as many children as possible to undergo bone marrow transplants under the pledge made in the government's Hafthaa 14 [14-week roadmap]," the Health Ministry said.
In order to expand the treatment and establish a convenient and sustainable mechanism for free bone marrow transplants, the government said children who are finalized after all short-term assessments are completed will be sent overseas every year for bone marrow transplants.
As a long-term solution, the plan includes ensuring arrangements for 10 children to undergo bone marrow transplants every year starting in 2028. The government has also decided to establish a specialized thalassemia hospital as a holistic solution.
