President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has introduced significant changes to the Aasandha system to prevent financial difficulties and medicine shortages when obtaining medication through the universal health insurance scheme.
The decision was made following discussions on a proposal submitted by the Ministry of Health during last Sunday’s Cabinet meeting.
Under the new reforms, a mechanism will be established to ensure that all prescribed medicines in the country are registered under Aasandha. Treatment guidelines will be finalized, and doctors will be provided access to a dashboard currently under development to view the availability of medicines through the State Trading Organisation (STO). They will also be informed of these updates to ensure a smooth transition.
The government will work to guarantee that all medicines on the approved drug list remain available in STO pharmacies without interruption. To address supply issues, STO will secure the necessary permissions to import medicines through foreign hospitals empanelled under Aasandha while adhering to Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) policies. As a long-term solution, a system will be implemented for STO to source medicines directly from manufacturers.
The four GP clinics set to be established in Malé will ensure uninterrupted access to medicines through STO pharmacies. Additionally, a nationwide system will be introduced to ensure medicines are provided solely through Aasandha, with any unavailable medicines on the islands being supplied by STO upon request. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will play a greater role in assisting with the importation of medicines from abroad.
The Ministry of Health will take steps to address service delivery issues and any concerns raised regarding the availability of medicines. Inpatients will have access to medicines through hospitals via STO, and MFDA will implement a system to trace every imported medicine. A digital platform will also be developed to allow patients to track the availability and location of medicines through their prescriptions.
As outlined in his Presidential Address, President Muizzu emphasized that the implementation of these measures would ensure that people do not face financial hardships or difficulties in accessing essential medicines through Aasandha.
The decision was made following discussions on a proposal submitted by the Ministry of Health during last Sunday’s Cabinet meeting.
Under the new reforms, a mechanism will be established to ensure that all prescribed medicines in the country are registered under Aasandha. Treatment guidelines will be finalized, and doctors will be provided access to a dashboard currently under development to view the availability of medicines through the State Trading Organisation (STO). They will also be informed of these updates to ensure a smooth transition.
The government will work to guarantee that all medicines on the approved drug list remain available in STO pharmacies without interruption. To address supply issues, STO will secure the necessary permissions to import medicines through foreign hospitals empanelled under Aasandha while adhering to Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) policies. As a long-term solution, a system will be implemented for STO to source medicines directly from manufacturers.
The four GP clinics set to be established in Malé will ensure uninterrupted access to medicines through STO pharmacies. Additionally, a nationwide system will be introduced to ensure medicines are provided solely through Aasandha, with any unavailable medicines on the islands being supplied by STO upon request. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will play a greater role in assisting with the importation of medicines from abroad.
The Ministry of Health will take steps to address service delivery issues and any concerns raised regarding the availability of medicines. Inpatients will have access to medicines through hospitals via STO, and MFDA will implement a system to trace every imported medicine. A digital platform will also be developed to allow patients to track the availability and location of medicines through their prescriptions.
As outlined in his Presidential Address, President Muizzu emphasized that the implementation of these measures would ensure that people do not face financial hardships or difficulties in accessing essential medicines through Aasandha.
