Price adjustments will occur in phases, while 87 drugs will see revised prices from November 1, followed by 126 drugs on November 24. Details of the new prices will be available on the Aasandha website.
In an effort to make the Aasandha system more sustainable while also maintain quality service provision, National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) announced last night that the prices of 250 widely used medicines in the Maldives will be controlled starting next month.
NSPA expects these measures to reduce the cost of overpriced medicines, saving approximately MVR 220 million annually under the Aasandha scheme.
Price adjustments will occur in phases, while 87 drugs will see revised prices from November 1, followed by 126 drugs on November 24. Details of the new prices will be available on the Aasandha website.
These price controlled drugs will be accessible through STO pharmacies and private pharmacies registered under the Aasandha scheme, at no additional cost to patients.
NSPA said that free medicine provision for Aasandha users will remain unaffected.
Customers are encouraged to obtain receipts when using Aasandha services and report any discrepancies to NSPA’s "Shikaavathi" chatline at 7951400.
Last September, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu instructed authorities to address inflated medicine prices.
Health Services Act mandates a cap on pharmaceutical prices, which had been challenging to implement due to resistance from the pharmaceutical sector.
Under the new directive, the profit margin for medicines in the Maldives which is currently between 200 percent and 2,000 percent will be restricted. An earlier regulation by the Ministry of Health limited maximum retail prices to a 100 percent profit margin.
Maldives is one of the region's highest spenders on medicines, with the World Health Organization noting that the country spends 70% more on medications than other South Asian nations.
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