The Aasandha Office has stated that patients being sent to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under the Aasandha scheme are those who need kidney transplants but are unable to receive them due to the lack of a “first-degree donor” (a family member willing to donate a kidney) and are suffering as a result. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu announced that Aasandha services would be made available in Thailand and the UAE during a press conference after concluding his trip to China last January.
Agreements were signed with three hospitals in December to provide services under Aasandha. These are Abu Dhabi’s Burjeel Medical City, Bangkok’s World Medical Hospital, and Bangkok Hospital. The Aasandha scheme services have been opened at these hospitals starting today. Speaking at a press briefing today, NSPA CEO Heena Waleed said that mainly those who are unable to find first-degree donors for kidney transplants in the Maldives are being sent to the UAE.
“We don’t make a specific selection, we’re not targeting specific individuals, but mainly we’re sending to the UAE those who are in the Maldives unable to get kidney transplants due to lack of first-degree donors. There are many such people. In some neighboring countries, their policies make it difficult to perform organ transplants if there’s a first-degree donor,” Heena said. She explained that according to the UAE’s policies and regulations, especially those of the hospital arranged by Aasandha, if a first-degree donor is not available, or even if a donor of another level is available or not, if the patient is a Muslim, they consider certain criteria after which the path for kidney transplant becomes possible.
“After conducting all tests and necessary research, if it’s a match, and if they, for example, meet the criteria set by a grand council, giving a kidney to someone outside the family or not a first-degree relative is considered a major crime in some foreign countries. Some people even sell kidneys and organs for business. In the UAE, a grand council looks at the criteria, considers the patient’s condition, and if they’re a Muslim from that country, they allow for kidney transplant,” Heena explained. She added that this provides some form of assistance to those in the Maldives who are currently unable to receive kidney transplants.
