Health Minister Geela Ali has refused to answer parliamentary inquiries regarding the surge of measles in the Maldives and issues surrounding Aasandha services.
During today's parliamentary session, Vaikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyad (Fittey) raised concerns over rumors that the recent spike in measles cases was linked to a shortage of diagnostic testing kits.
The MP further questioned regarding disruptions to Aasandha services at overseas hospitals due to the state's failure to settle outstanding bills, asking for the total amount of unpaid bills. Additionally, he inquired about the number of patients sent to Dubai and Bangkok for medical treatment under the Aasandha scheme.
Ziyad also sought information regarding reports that the agreement for the cardiac department at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) had been terminated. He further questioned the amount of state funds allocated to the newly established government pharmaceutical entity, State Pharma.
However, Geela responded by stating that she did not possess the data required to answer those questions.
"The honorable MP has asked a great deal of questions. I came here today specifically to answer certain predetermined questions. Therefore, thank you very much, Honorable Speaker," she said.
The minister’s refusal to provide answers led to a heated exchange on the parliament floor. Arguments broke out between MP Ziyad and several members of the ruling People's National Congress (PNC) following her remarks.
Measles was declared eliminated in the Maldives by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2017. Despite this, sporadic cases were reported in 2020 and April 2023, though those outbreaks were successfully contained at the time.
However, the Maldives has recently seen a resurgence in cases. According to statistics released by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) last night, 122 people have tested positive for measles so far this year. More than 100 of these cases were recorded within the past two weeks alone.
