Health Minister Declines to Answer Questions on Measles Outbreak

Health Minister Geela Ali declined to answer questions in Parliament regarding the recent rise in measles cases in the Maldives, saying she did not have the necessary information available at the time.

During today’s sitting of the People’s Majlis, Vaikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyad (Fittey) questioned the minister about reports suggesting the outbreak had worsened due to a shortage of measles testing kits. He also sought clarification on delays in payments to overseas hospitals under the Aasandha health insurance scheme, which have reportedly disrupted medical services, and requested figures on the number of patients sent to Dubai and Bangkok for treatment.

Responding to the questions, Minister Geela said the information requested was not available to her during the session.

“The honorable member has asked many questions. I came today to answer specific questions that had been submitted. Therefore, I do not have the information requested with me at this time,” she said.

The MP also requested details regarding the cancellation of an agreement related to the cardiology department at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) and the amount of public funds spent on the newly established State Pharma company.

The Maldives was certified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as having eliminated measles in 2017. However, the disease has made a significant comeback over the past two years.

According to statistics from the Health Protection Agency (HPA), 122 measles cases have been recorded so far this year. More than 100 of those cases were reported within the past two weeks, indicating a sharp increase in infections.