Aasandha Urges Investigation into Severe Medicine Shortages and Rising Drug Prices

The Managing Director of Aasandha Company Limited, Aminath Zeeniya, has called for an urgent investigation into the persistent shortage of essential medicines across the Maldives, describing the lack of availability as a serious issue that requires immediate state attention. Speaking at a State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Committee meeting held at the President’s Office, Zeeniya revealed a critical gap in the healthcare supply chain. While Aasandha provides access to over 3,000 essential medicines through a network of 800 pharmacies, many patients still struggle to obtain necessary treatments. Zeeniya noted that pharmacies currently fund approximately 60 percent of the payable scheme, yet accessibility remains erratic. According to Zeeniya, the current regulatory framework is insufficient. While the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) registers pharmacies based on required standards and maintains an Approved Drug List, there is no active monitoring system to ensure these essential medicines are actually stocked on shelves. This lack of oversight means that while drugs are imported into the country, there is no way to track which specific medications are unavailable to the public in real-time. Beyond availability, the Managing Director highlighted a worrying trend in pharmaceutical costs and quality. Residents have reported concerns over the quality of certain drugs, while national wholesale prices have surged by 500 to 600 percent over the last two years. Zeeniya pointed out that the government currently lacks control over these wholesale prices, leaving the market volatile. To combat these challenges, the government is exploring bulk procurement of medicines to stabilize supply and reduce costs, although this is currently limited to a small number of pharmaceuticals. There have also been growing calls to mandate lower selling prices for medications provided under Aasandha rates to ease the financial burden on citizens.