State Trading Organization, STO assures citizens that flu medication will be available at all its outlets across the country without shortage.
Speaking to the media from their Distribution Center, STO’s Managing Director Ahmed Shaheer said that STO will supply the medicine and vaccines required to control the spread of viral influenza and H1N1.
The demand for flu medication has risen due to the viral flu and fever outbreak, but there is no shortage of medication on their end, Shaheer said.
STO has established an emergency medicine distribution center at Ghiyaasudheen International School, to manage distribution of flu medication and vaccines to the pharmacies and health service providers. STO also set up regional medicine distribution centers in the atolls. STO has been air freighting pharmaceutical shipments to the atoll to ensure a steady flow of supply. Shaheer said that the distribution centers will operate till cases of influenza decreases significantly.
According to STO medicine shipments delivered to the Atolls have increased by 30 to 40 percent due to ongoing viral flu outbreak.
Health Protection Agency (HPA) contracted STO with the responsibility of importing flu vaccines. STO says they are delivering the flu medications and H1N1 vaccines as per the instructions of Health Protection Agency.
HPA says since January onwards 123 persons have been tested positive for H1N1, while weekly number of patients consulting doctors due to viral flu or fever has increased to around 5000.