Former Managing Director of State Trading Organisation (STO), Hussain Amr, has said that the medicine shortages will not be resolved during the current administration's term, despite the transfer of pharmaceutical services from STO Medicals to the newly established State Pharma.
Speaking on Adhadhu’s "Etherfuh" program, Amr noted that rather than resolving the supply issues, the establishment of State Pharma appears to be steering the situation in a different direction.
"I am not just talking about three months; President [Mohamed] Muizzu will not be able to solve this [medicine shortage] during this term. It is heading in an entirely different direction. Previously, the shortage was due to a lack of funds and the inability to import. Now, the cost of obtaining medicine is going to become exorbitantly high," Amr said.
Amr further explained that the government is currently attempting to track other pharmacies that stock medicines unavailable at State Pharma. However, he emphasized that a facility like State Pharma should ideally stock all essential medications.
"They are trying to implement a system where they designate pharmacies to carry specific medicines. When you take a prescription to a pharmacy, you are told that State Pharma does not provide that particular medicine there and you must go elsewhere," Amr said.
"In other words, it’s not just that the medicine is out of stock; it’s simply not available at that location. But that is not how it should work. If it is called State Pharma, it must provide all medicines. Any pharmacy, by regulation, must stock a required range of medications."
Highlighting that medicine was consistently available through STO before Muizzu assuming office, Amr attributed the current shortages to the government’s failure to reimburse pharmacies through the Aasandha scheme. He argued that the scarcity began following policy changes.
The government-owned State Pharma took over the operations of pharmacies previously managed by STO on July 1. At the time, State Pharma said its objective was to ensure easy access to pharmaceutical services across the Maldives.
However, more than a month after its establishment, State Pharma does not have a stock of all essential medicines. Furthermore, a widespread scarcity of various medications has been reported across pharmacies nationwide.
