The Ministry of Health has stated that efforts are being made to facilitate the import of high-quality medicines.
Speaking to PSM News, Minister Dr. Abdulla Khaleel said the government is working to solve the problem of the lack of quality medicines available in the Maldives. He also said the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) need to be made aware of the ingredients of medicines being imported but that large businesses do not wish to disclose the content of their drugs for various reasons, such as their unwillingness to reveal trade secrets.
As such, Minister Khaleel said the government is working with the World Health Organization (WHO) and various other health organizations to ensure that quality medicines are imported into the Maldives. He also said that the relevant regulations will be changed to facilitate the import of high-quality medicines. He noted that some neighbouring countries produce high-quality medicines, such as India, Malaysia, and Dubai.
Additionally, Minister Khaleel highlighted that the quality of facilities that store medicines are not up to par. Therefore, the ministry has instructed importers to ensure the temperature at the storage facilities is maintained at the appropriate level.
Currently, the sale of banned medicines is controlled via checkpoints at all international ports connected to the Maldives. In addition, the MFDA checks and removes medicines from the market in response to WHO alerts. The MFDA has also stipulated that medicines can only be imported with a laboratory test, following the discovery of dangerous chemicals in medicines imported into the Maldives.