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The Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) has limited the $1,000 foreign currency allowance for self-funded medical travel to six specific countries: India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and the UAE.
News Desk
MMA building - Photo: Atoll Times
MALE : The Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) has announced that the $1,000 foreign currency allowance for Maldivians travelling abroad for self-funded medical treatment will now be limited to six designated countries.
According to a statement issued by the central bank, the $1,000 allowance, which is facilitated through Bank of Maldives (BML) and Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB), will only be available to individuals travelling to India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The MMA stated that restricting the allowance to these six countries ensures that allocated foreign currency is directly spent on medical expenses.
The central bank noted that foreign exchange sales for medical travel reached $41.1 million by the end of last month, representing a three-fold increase compared to the same period last year. Out of this total, $29.2 million was issued specifically for self-funded medical travel.
Meanwhile, patients travelling abroad under the state-sponsored Aasandha scheme will continue to receive $2,000 as previously arranged.
