President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced a series of changes to the Aasandha system following Cabinet discussions, aiming to prevent medicine shortages and financial difficulties for those obtaining medications through the scheme. The reforms, introduced on the recommendation of the Cabinet, follow a paper submitted by the Ministry of Health during last Sunday’s Cabinet meeting.
Under the new provisions, a mechanism will be introduced to ensure that all prescribed medicines in the country are registered under Aasandha. Additionally, treatment guidelines will be finalised to improve the efficiency of the system. A dashboard, currently under development, will be made accessible to doctors, allowing them to check medicine availability through the State Trading Organisation (STO).
To ensure uninterrupted access to essential medicines, all medicines on the approved drug list will be stocked in STO pharmacies without interruption. Furthermore, STO will obtain necessary approvals to import medicines through foreign hospitals empanelled by Aasandha under Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) policies. As a long-term solution, STO will establish direct sourcing from manufacturers.
The government also plans to integrate medicine supply within upcoming healthcare facilities. The four GP clinics set to be established in Malé will ensure a steady supply of medicines through the STO pharmacy. Additionally, a system will be implemented across all islands and regional hospitals to provide medicines solely through Aasandha. Any medicines unavailable on the islands will be supplied by STO upon request.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will play an expanded role in assisting with the importation of medicines, while the Ministry of Health will address service delivery issues and any concerns raised regarding these changes. Inpatients in hospitals will also be able to access medicines directly through STO.
In an effort to improve transparency and accessibility, MFDA will introduce a digital system that will allow patients to track the availability and location of medicines using their prescriptions. This system will also enable MFDA to trace all imported medicines.
As outlined in his Presidential Address, President Muizzu stated that these measures are designed to ensure that individuals do not face financial hardships or difficulties in obtaining essential medicines through Aasandha.
