There are no obstacles to sending Maldivian patients to Thailand and Dubai for urgent medical treatment via air ambulance services, Minister of Health, Abdullah Nazim Ibrahim has stated.
The Minister made the remarks while speaking at the signing ceremony of an agreement with Island Aviation Services Limited (IASL) on expanding air ambulance services to Thailand and Dubai.
The agreement was signed on Sunday at the Ministry of Health by three parties. The Health Ministry was represented by its Deputy Minister Ahmed Hamdhaan Naseer, while IASL was represented by its Managing Director Ibrahim Iyaas. The agreement was also signed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) on behalf of the agency.
Under the agreement, air ambulance services will be provided to Maldivians requiring treatment in Thailand or Dubai. The relevant authorities will make the required arrangements after ensuring that there is a confirmed medical need for transfer.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Nazim said that the expansion ensures that there are no legal or procedural barriers to sending patients abroad for treatment.
"Taking into account the special circumstances, the agreement will resolve the issue without any legal obstacle to providing urgent health services in foreign countries. With this new arrangement, there will be no obstacle or difficulties within the NSPA system. This is a matter of great satisfaction for us," he said.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen said the launch of the service will provide reassurance to the public, and highlighted the importance of being prepared for such situations.
"It is crucial that we have a system in place to address such situations, especially when transportation is challenging. Under this agreement, we are ready to provide the service using aircraft equipped with state-of-the-art facilities," he said.
IASL also confirmed that the service would operate with fully equipped vehicles that meet international standards. IASL also said the services will be provided through authorised service providers.
The air ambulance service was launched on 1 March last year to strengthen the Maldives’ emergency treatment system. While the service was first launched using a dedicated Dash-8 aircraft, a seaplane is also utilised for the service now.