Even though hospitals in most islands can cater to minor issues such as a patient with a cold or a fever, bigger emergencies such as heart attacks or chronic illnesses still require the patients to fly out to the tertiary hospitals which are located in the capital city Male’.
Aasandha, the Maldives' main health insurance agency, has signed an agreement with Villa air Pvt Ltd to facilitate through the domestic air transport system, the services required under the Aasandha scheme.
This agreement will reduce the anxiety of patients who require emergency transportation, particularly on islands where Villa air operates and nearby islands.
With the islands of the Maldives being spread so far apart, and most islands only having primary healthcare facilities many may wonder how locals from smaller islands get access to healthcare in case of emergencies.
While in most countries, getting to the hospital might be a matter of a short drive, or in more severe cases calling an ambulance, when it comes to the Maldives it is not just a meteor of distance ─ it is also the issue of crossing an ocean to get to a good hospital.
Even though hospitals in most islands can cater to minor issues such as a patient with a cold or a fever, bigger emergencies such as heart attacks or chronic illnesses still require the patients to fly out to the tertiary hospitals which are located in the capital city Male’.
This proves to be difficult, especially if a patient needs to fly into Male’ city during the holidays, as flights are always fully booked for weeks or even months in advance, making it near impossible to get on a flight even in cases of emergencies. This often leaves people bargaining with those who booked in advance or chartering a flight after paying thousands. And in cases where neither of the options works out, patients are left waiting to see if a miraculous third option appears.
