The State Trading Organisation (STO) has officially handed control of the country’s largest pharmacy network to the State Pharmaceutical and Medical Supply Corporation (State Pharma).
All 193 outlets formerly operated by STO have been transferred to State Pharma, marking the most significant restructuring of the Maldives’ medicine supply chain in recent years.
Speaking to PSM News, State Pharma Managing Director Dr Shah Mahir confirmed that the inventory in each of the transferred pharmacies has been audited.
“Our stock‑management platform is being upgraded, and within the coming days we will be able to display live stock data for all pharmacies. All pharmacy systems and registries will be migrated to State Pharma, and the administrative transition is already underway,” he explained.
Dr Shah Mahir outlined the next steps for the newly integrated network where the corporation will continue to source essential medicines for the Maldives. Drugs already ordered by STO are expected to arrive within the next three months, and State Pharma is actively working to bring in medicines that are currently unavailable in the country. A comprehensive assessment of the medicines most needed by the population is being finalised, with a view to initiating early‑procurement procedures for future shortages.
Currently, only 25 percent of the medicines used in the Maldives are registered under STO. To address the remaining 75 percent, State Pharma has begun collaborating with private‑sector importers to create a more resilient, island‑wide supply system.
In addition to the logistical overhaul, State Pharma has already begun dispensing prescription medicines to patients. A dedicated hotline, 1050, has been launched for public inquiries and to facilitate the distribution of drugs through the government’s social‑assistance programmes.