President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has promised a fix for the country’s medicine access problems. The solution will arrive within two months.
He spoke about the issue on the “Nation Chat” programme. The government is already deep into the work. The President expects sweeping changes to the Maldives medicine supply system by June or July. Patients with chronic conditions will benefit most. They need a steady flow of prescriptions.
The corporation driving the change
The State Pharmaceutical and Medical Supply Corporation leads the effort. The government launched the state-owned enterprise last September. Its mission is clear: tighten the country’s grip on medicine and medical equipment imports.
Several moves are now in motion:
- Every pharmacy under the State Trading Organization (STO) will move to State Pharma Corporation by the end of July
- A new digital framework will track pharmaceutical stocks nationwide in real time
Together, these steps form the backbone of the Maldives medicine supply system overhaul.
First steps already on the ground
The corporation has opened its first pharmacy at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH). The move secures a steady medicine flow for the facility.
For medicines that local pharmacies do not stock, the government has set up a hotline. The number is 1505. Patients can call to source harder-to-find prescriptions.
Online ordering on the way
The government is also finalizing the State Pharma Portal. Once it goes live, residents on any island can order medication online. Deliveries will reach them at home.
The timeline is tight. If it holds, the Maldives medicine supply system will look very different by mid-year. A single state operator will sit at the heart of it. A real-time stock tracker and an online ordering channel will round out the new setup.