President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has on Wednesday ratified an amendment to the National Social Health Insurance Scheme Act.

The amendment was passed at the parliament’s 37th sitting of the year, on August 21.

70 lawmakers, from the 75 eligible at the sitting, voted in favour of the amendment; there were not abstentions or votes against.

The amendment is to Section 42 (a) of the law, and specifies the ministry responsible for overseeing the country's overall national social health insurance framework; which is the Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services.

The purpose of the change is “to streamline government services regarding social health insurance, by ensuring that it falls under the mandate of the appropriate ministry,” said the President’s Office.

It noted that social policy falls under the gender ministry and that it will be responsible for the implementation of the provisions of this Act.

The amended law is now in effect, after being published in the government gazette.