Former President of the United Nations General Assembly and former Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid has voiced concerns about potential limitations on citizens' right to access healthcare, emphasizing that healthcare access should not be politicized.

In a post shared on X, Shahid criticized recent government changes to the healthcare system, alleging they are politicizing healthcare access. He highlighted the Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) government’s efforts to establish a health system where citizens can access free treatment with their national ID cards, aiming to ensure that no Maldivian is left out.

Shahid further claimed that current government adjustments may exclude some people from the Aasandha system, suggesting that this approach could limit healthcare based on political affiliations. He warned that this could ultimately reintroduce a culture where the public health system is influenced by political agendas.

These comments follow the recent announcement from the Maldives National Social Protection Agency (NSPA), which stated that out-of-pocket costs for some treatments could be deducted for those with private insurance, though private insurance options remain available.