Health Minister Dr. Abdulla Khaleel has announced that the delivery of medicines via drones will commence within the first six months of next year.
Minister Khaleel shared with Mihaaru News last week that efforts were underway to enhance the accessibility of medicines.
Discussions have taken place with the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), police, and civil aviation, and testing is set to begin soon, he added.
Minister Khaleel said that the state is currently expending a significant amount of money to deliver a MVR 10 medicine to certain islands.
"Efforts are underway to transition to a more cost-effective and efficient system for immediate medicine delivery. Hopefully, the drone service will commence in the near future, with efforts to kickstart the initiative within the first six months of next year," he said.
The previous government also explored the possibility of using drones to transport laboratory equipment through the State Trading Organization (STO). In August, a test trial was conducted in Gaaf Dhaal atoll.
Former President, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, expressed his commitment to introducing drone services to enhance the health system in the Maldives.
Some countries already employ drones sparingly to transport medicines during emergencies, with a focus on serving isolated areas.
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