Applications open for monthly MVR 2,000 allowance for thalassemia patients

Applications have opened for the newly introduced monthly allowance for thalassemia patients, following the government’s announcement on Wednesday that individuals living with the condition will receive MVR 2,000 per month.

The Thalassemia Centre issued the official rules on Thursday. According to the guidelines, the allowance will be provided to patients who are registered in the Centre’s official registry. Payments will begin next month for those whose application forms are accepted.

The allowance will be disbursed before the 10th of every month, and this month has been designated for patients to submit applications to be included in the registry. Payments will be issued through NSPA.

The rules also outline circumstances under which the allowance will be discontinued: when the Thalassemia Centre determines that the patient no longer requires treatment, when a patient formally requests to stop receiving the benefit, or upon the patient’s death.

The President approved the special allowance as part of a campaign pledge. During the presidential election, he had promised to introduce a government‑funded allowance for thalassemia children, saying it would bring significant relief to affected families.

The government has also pledged to arrange free bone marrow transplants for thalassemia patients. Additionally, plans are underway to build a dedicated thalassemia hospital. Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef announced last February that work would begin soon, and the project was awarded to a Malaysian company in mid‑October.

However, speaking on SSTV’s program last Thursday, Health Minister Abdullah Nazim Ibrahim said that although the specialised hospitals planned for three key areas, including thalassemia, are not yet complete, the quality of care in these fields has already improved.