President Muizzu Promises End to Medicine Shortages Within Two Months

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has pledged that the Maldives will see a substantial improvement in medicine availability by July, aiming to end the chronic pharmaceutical shortages that have affected the archipelago for years. Speaking during the "Nation Chat with the President" programme, the President expressed confidence in a systemic overhaul of the healthcare supply chain. He highlighted the role of the State Pharmaceutical and Medical Supply Corporation Limited (StatePharma), a state-owned enterprise established last September to modernize the importation of drugs, consumables, and critical medical equipment. “There will be a big change,” President Muizzu stated, noting that StatePharma has already completed significant preparatory work. “By June and July, it will be much better.” A cornerstone of this transformation is the planned integration of all pharmacies under the StatePharma umbrella starting next July. This consolidation seeks to replace a fragmented system with a unified distribution network. To support this, the government is developing a sophisticated monitoring system to track stock levels across all pharmacies in real-time, allowing officials to redistribute surplus inventory to areas facing scarcity before patients are impacted. Tangible progress is already visible with the launch of StatePharma's first dedicated pharmacy at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH). This facility serves as a direct channel for sustainable supplies to the nation's primary healthcare provider. Furthermore, the corporation has introduced a mechanism to source specialized medications that were previously unavailable domestically. To ensure these services reach citizens across the scattered islands, the government has launched two primary access channels. Residents can request missing medications via a dedicated telephone hotline at 1505. Additionally, the new StatePharma Portal introduces e-commerce to the pharmaceutical sector, allowing patients to request medications and track their orders through a digital interface. By moving away from temporary fixes toward a comprehensive institutional framework, the administration aims to eliminate the bottlenecks that have historically left patients searching for essential prescriptions.