Obtaining some commonly used medicines in the country has become a challenging task in the Maldives.
Obtaining some commonly used medicines in the country has become difficult.
A pharmaceuticals company interviewed by Mihaaru said the difficulty arises from changes in ownership and labeling of manufacturers who previously supplied these medicines.
The drug Nutrolin B, known for preventing diarrhoea, is particularly hard to find. Both its syrup and the tablets have become scarce.
Challenges in sourcing betnovate, bonjela, and dermovate creams have been reported by the owner of a company extensively importing medicine to the country.
Another medicine shop proprietor mentioned that obtaining antibiotics and antibiotic injections has become challenging.
When importing medicines into the Maldives, submission of documents like COPP, GMP, the outside of the sample, prior permission, and COA is mandatory. Additionally, detailed company profiles need to be submitted.
He explained, "Many Indian manufacturers, who used to supply medicines, have altered their packaging due to acquisitions by others. However, the drug itself is produced in the same facility. Only the packaging of medicines has changed. However, the MFDA did not accept it."
"If you are importing this type of medicine, you need to provide the company's information. Unfortunately, we don't receive that information from the company."
However, MFDA senior pharmacist Aishath Jaleela stated that they haven't received any complaints regarding the shortage of commonly used medicines. "There will always be room for the import of medicines following established procedures," she noted.
Pharmacy owners, however, consistently express frustration with MFDA regulations. They argue that the primary obstacle to the availability of quality medicines is the regulatory process. According to them, registering a drug takes a minimum of four to five months.
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