Govt. fails to resolve difficulties in accessing medication by deadline

Public concern persists as essential medications remain unavailable in pharmacies despite passing of the deadline set by the government to resolve difficulties in accessing medicine.

Amid concerns regarding difficulties faced in accessing medicine, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, in February, announced all medications on the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) essential medicine list will be available from all State Trade Organization (STO) pharmacies from March 15^th which will be followed by all medications on the Authority’s approved medicine list starting from April 15^th.

However, members of the public have raised concerns on social media – citing essential medications remain unavailable in most pharmacies across Male’ and atolls despite a week since the deadline has passed.

In this regard, a member of the public, via a post on Facebook, complained regarding the unavailability of all medications prescribed despite visiting over 10 pharmacies in Male’.

The individual, highlighting that the difficulties in accessing medication remain unresolved despite the deadline, emphasized that this is a serious issue that must be addressed — even if it requires implementing cost-reduction measures.

“(I) met many people from pharmacies who were concerned regarding unavailability of medications. When such issues that is linked to the interests of the people arise, the state has no money,” the post read.

Another individual who raised concern regarding the issue on social media said they were only able to obtain three tablets of one of the three medications prescribed by a doctor for fever and body pain. The remaining two medications on the prescription – Penadin and Allegra – that are considered high demand, were out of stock.

STO has yet to comment regarding the issue despite mounting complaints from the public over difficulties in accessing medications. Sun was also unsuccessful in its efforts to obtain a comment from National Social Protection Agency (NSPA).

On April 10^th, Health Minister Abdulla Nazim said government’s efforts to address difficulties in accessing medication have begun to yield results. He highlighted some of the efforts undertaken in this trajectory:

• Strengthening the system to increase STO's medicine stock
• Formulating SOPs to strengthen the governance of medicine-related matters and increasing and developing employees responsible for medicine-related matters
• Reforms to the Aasandha portal for issuing prescriptions
• Formulating treatment guidelines and conducting refreshers or health professionals
• Strengthening MFDA's system
• Training STO pharmacists for higher-level of responsibility
• Minister Nazim has expressed confidence that the measures will pave the way to attaining a permanent solution to the issue at hand.

The highest expenses under state insurance scheme, Aasandha, is incurred to purchase medications.

As such, the government has implemented price control on 250 medicines issued under Aasandha that were previously sold at a huge profit by businesses. Aasandha, which has long remained a financial burden to the state, incurs higher funds every year than the amount allocated for the purpose in the state budget.

Despite these measures, financial statistics disclosed by the government shows higher expenses were incurred for Aasandha so far this year, compared to the same period last year. In this regard, MVR 665.9 million has been spend on Aasandha so far this year, which is an MVR 179 million increased compared to same period last year.