State Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies Corporation (State Pharma) is focused not on increasing commercial profits, but on ensuring that all essential medicines are readily available without interruption, according to its Managing Director, Dr Shah Mahir.
Speaking on a programme on Dhivehi Raajjeyge Adu, Dr Shah said the corporation's primary responsibility is to procure the medicines and medical supplies required by the Maldives in bulk and ensure they are distributed to the public. He explained that medicine shortages have been a longstanding issue that has yet to be fully resolved. To address this, the company is working on long-term, sustainable solutions.
As part of these efforts, State Pharma is strengthening its stock management and supply chain management systems while introducing modern digital technologies to improve efficiency.
For short-term needs, medicines that are unavailable in the country continue to be imported on prescription. However, looking ahead, the corporation plans to develop accurate forecasts of the country's medicine requirements and maintain sufficient stocks to meet demand for one to two years. Dr Shah stressed that the organisation's greatest priority is not to maximise profit, but to ensure that all required medicines are consistently available.
State Pharma recently began operating the pharmacies previously managed by STO under its own name. A total of 193 pharmacies have now been transferred to State Pharma.
Research conducted by the company to address medicine shortages found that only 25 per cent of the medicines used in the Maldives had previously been registered under STO. As a result, State Pharma is working with private sector partners to expand medicine availability while keeping prices under control across the healthcare system.
To further improve access to medicines, State Pharma has also introduced a dedicated hotline service. The hotline number, 1505, is available 24 hours a day, allowing people throughout the Maldives to seek assistance and access the service at any time.