Sun Poll Shows Majority Support for Asandha Co-Payment on High-Income Earners

A recent Sun Poll opinion survey indicates strong public backing for the government's decision to introduce a 15 percent co-payment from Asandha for individuals earning more than MVR 60,000 per month who use services at private health centers. The poll revealed that 58.5 percent of respondents fully supported the measure, viewing it as a fair way to reduce state budget waste and strengthen the Asandha system. However, 27.1 percent of voters said such a step should only be taken after improving the quality of government hospital services, citing long queues and delays that force many to seek private care. A further 14.4 percent opposed the decision, arguing Asandha should be provided equally to all Maldivian citizens regardless of income. The new rule, announced and gazetted by the Health Ministry, collects the co-payment from registered private clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, and optical and prosthetic service providers, but not from government facilities. Certain professionals including doctors, pilots, and engineers have been exempted to retain technical expertise. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has stated the measure could save approximately MVR 287 million annually, which would be redirected to basic services and social development.