STO pharmacy established at Thalassemia Centre to address concerns

An STO pharmacy has been established Thalassemia Centre to address concerns prompted by Maldives Blood Service (MBS)’s delegation of supplying desferal and other medications required by thalassemia patients to STO.

A motion was filed with the parliament over the change. The Human Rights Committee, on Tuesday, summoned officials from Health Ministry, MBS and Thalassemia Society as part of their inquiry.

Speaking at the Committee, State Minister for Health Ahmed Gasim said the policy change was made to ensure uninterrupted supply in light of previously received complaints of difficulties in acquiring some medications or their unavailability.

“There should be no reason for treatment to be unavailable. Apart from greater Male’, STO pharmacies are there on the premises of every healthcare establishment,” he said.

In this trajectory, he noted that an STO pharmacy has been established at the Thalassemia Centre to address concerns raised by patients over the lack of availability of medication on the premises.

Gasim says the establishment of the pharmacy at Thalassemia Centre ensures patients do not have to bear difficulties in obtaining the medication they require. In this regard, he stressed that all medical required by patients will be available at the pharmacy.

Sharing concerns on social media following the policy change, a thalassemia patient described queuing for medication at pharmacies as more difficult than directly getting the medication from MBS. The patient added that there was no point in changing the supply of a medical only required by thalassemia patients from MBS to pharmacies.