A fourteen-year-old child passed away in the Maldives on January 21, allegedly due to President Mohammed Muizzu's denial of permission to utilise the Dornier plane that India had given for the youngster's evacuation, reported Maldivian media.
The young boy, suffering from a brain tumour and a stroke, was said to be in great need of an air ambulance to take him from the isolated island of Wilmington in Gaaf Alif Villingili to the capital city of Male, where he would get state-of-the-art medical care.
The medical evacuation company, Aasandha Company Limited, released a statement expressing regret for the patient's untimely demise. They stated that they started the evacuation procedure as soon as they received the request, but they gave the excuse that there was a last-minute "technical glitch" that caused a delay.
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"It is with deep regret that we acknowledge the unfortunate passing of the patient involved in the emergency medical evacuation incident from GA Vilingili on January 18, 2024. The entire management and staff of Aasandha Company extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them, seeking solace in Allah (SWT) for the departed's eternal rest in Jannatul Firdaus," the company said in a statement.
The family claims that the government did not quickly set up a medical evacuation, according to Maldivian media.
"We called Island Aviation to get him to Male immediately after the stroke but they did not answer our calls. They answered the phone at 8:30 am on Thursday. The solution is to have an air ambulance for such cases," said the grieving father, according to local media Adhahu.
Protests were reported by the local Maldivian media outside the hospital where the youngster passed away. Meekail Naseem, a Maldivian MP, posted on social media to voice his dismay, saying that "people shouldn't have to pay with their lives to satisfy the President's animosity towards India."
This incident comes at a time when Maldivian ministers' disparaging remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi have led to a recent deterioration in diplomatic ties between India and the island nation.
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