An amendment to the Thalassemia Control Act, passed by the Parliament earlier this month has been sent back to the relevant parliamentary Committee for review following a reconsideration request from President Dr Mohamed Muizzu.
The President's decision, influenced by feedback from the Maldivian Blood Services and affected families, aims to refine the bill to ensure a comprehensive national system for patient care.
After receiving the President's request, the bill was debated in the extraordinary sitting on Wednesday, where members voted unanimously, 60-0, to refer the bill to committee.
The reconsideration seeks to address concerns raised by stakeholders and ensure the law's objectives—providing full and effective services to thalassemia patients—are met.
The bill, sponsored by ruling party lawmaker Ahmed Naseer, includes several key provisions that will now be re-examined by the committee.
The amendment defines the post of Director General (DG) of the Thalassemia Center as a civil service position. The DG, appointed by the Civil Service Commission on the Health Minister's advice, must hold a National Qualifications Framework Level 8 or 9 qualification in management and have 10 years of experience in the health sector. The amendments also detail the terms of the DG's five-year appointment and the conditions of the post.
A significant addition addresses the marriage of individuals who risk having children with thalassemia. The new article stipulates that couples must apply for permission to marry from the Registrar after undergoing a thalassemia test. If the test results indicate a risk, the marriage will only be permitted after the couple completes a mandatory regulatory program.
The President's office emphasised that the President’s decision to send the bill back to Parliament for reconsideration was driven by a need to ensure services for thalassemia patients are delivered through a rounded national system.