System to be set up for doctors to check STO medicine availability

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu today decided to have a system developed which would allow doctors to check medicine availability at State Trading Organisation (STO)'s pharmacies.

This comes after public concerns due to medicine prescribed by doctors not being issued at pharmacies via the national health insurance scheme Aasandha.

In a statement, the President's Office said a paper submitted by the Health Ministry during Sunday's cabinet meeting was discussed, leading to the president to decide that it should be implemented.

This includes formulating treatment guidelines, giving access to the medicine stock availability dashboard of STO to doctors as well as making them more familiar to it.

This would allow doctors to check if the prescribed medications are registered to be issued under Aasandha.

According to the President’s Office, it was also decided to authorise STO within MFDA's regulations, to arrange continuous availability of all drugs on the approved drug list at STO pharmacies, and to import drugs from overseas hospitals empanelled under Aasandha.

As a permanent solution, the President also decided to establish a system to allow STO to directly import medicines from pharmaceutical manufacturers.

The President's Office said the four GP clinics in the Malé City would provide continuous access to medicines through STO pharmacies, and that the system would be extended to all regional hospitals and atoll hospitals. President Muizzu said a system would be put in place to deliver medicines to the island if patients need them and they are unavailable from the islands.

He also decided to increase the role of the Foreign Ministry in the import of medicines from abroad.

According to the President's Office, the solutions also include resolving the issue of delays in taking action on service delivery complaints reported to the Ministry of Health.

The President's Office said the efforts will also extend to ensure medicine supply for inpatients, and establish a digital system to trace every single tablet imported into the country. Prescriptions issued to the patients would also indicate medicine availability and location as well, the plans say.

The President's Office said that with the implementation of these measures, the public would be able to get medicines from Aasandha without any difficulty.

Amidst public scrutiny over medicine becoming less accessible in recent days, STO said there were some difficulties due to doctors prescribing specific brands instead of the generic name for the drug. However, doctors said sometimes specific brands need to be prescribed based on the patient's needs such as allergies.

With complaints related to medicine availability on the rise, a joint committee comprising STO, Aasandha, MFDA, Doctors Union and Medical Association was put together to find a quick solution to the problems.