In a move to address these issues that continue to worsen with each passing year, the Maldives’ Government has proposed several reforms, ranging from bringing chances to how Aasandha coverage is provided to how the Maldives is importing medication.
Health News
The Maldives is currently undergoing several reforms when it comes to the health sector, not only to provide better quality services and medication to its citizens but also to ensure that the expenditure on the sector remains within a reasonable budget. Some of the biggest issues that were marked when it came to the healthcare sector included the astonishing amount that was being spent on the national health insurance scheme Aasandha and the flagging of some common medications available across Maldivian pharmacies as below standard quality.
In a move to address these issues that continue to worsen with each passing year, the Maldives’ Government has proposed several reforms, ranging from bringing chances to how Aasandha coverage is provided to how the Maldives is importing medication. As these measures are slowly falling in line to ensure better quality is provided within a feasible budget, Aasandha also stated that changes have been brought to prescription writing guidelines regarding medicines manufactured as per European standards.
With this change, doctors will now be required to write the prescription using the generic name of the medication instead of using specific brand names, as the request for specifying any brand names would require reasoning according to Aasandha.
This change may bring several positive changes in the Maldives’ health sector as the European standards are known for their strict quality controls, ensuring that patients receive safer and more effective treatment. Not only would this ensure better health outcomes due to the usage of higher-quality medication, but it may also reduce the cost in the long term as the need for repeated treatment may reduce due to the usage of better-quality medicine.
To support these reforms and ensure the availability of quality medicines, the government made bulk purchases of seven key medications in July this year. By buying in bulk, the government expects to save MVR 2 million from the state budget, with projected total savings of MVR 10 million by the end of the year. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to improve healthcare affordability while maintaining high standards for medication.
