Need more resources to cater for ID card demand generated by Aasandha- NICU

National Indentity Card Unit says it needs more resources to cater for ID card demand generated by Aasandha, the medical insurance scheme inaugurated by the Nasheed administration in Jaunary this year.

Media report the NICU as saying that it had neither the budget nor the resources to cater for the additional demand. The NICU has 15,000 new NIC applications pending.

The Aasandha scheme is available to all Maldivians upon showing their NIC. Nay sayers of Aasandha say that the scheme is structured in a way that enables fraud by hospitals and clinics by generating fake receipts using NICs. Since the NIC holder has no way of checking his/her Aasandha account, they would be unaware if fake medical charges had been generated in their name and NIC number. There is also reportedly no way of getting refunds for cancellations nor for non appearance of Drs.

Since the Aasandha was begun, many hospitals and clinics have also raised their medical service charges. Economic analysts were reported on media as being skeptical about the long term viability of the scheme.

The new Waheed Government announced within its first week in power that the country was bankrupt with current deficits in millions. Given that Aasandha receives popular support, it would be a difficult program for any government to suspend. The Waheed Government has yet to inform the public how it would deal with the Aasandha scheme.