The government of the Maldives has signed an agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on the bulk procurement of medicine to the Maldives. The agreement was signed by Minister of Finance Ibrahim Ameer, State Minister for Health Ahmed Adil, Managing Director of State Trading Organisation (STO) Abdulla Saeed, and Resident Representative of UNDP Maldives Enrico Gaveglia.
As per the agreement, UNDP will procure medicine through the agency’s global health procurement services, providing high-quality medicine at a lower cost to the Maldives. The Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) will be part of the steering committee that assures quality control. The project aims to procure and supply quality medicine and pharmaceuticals to STO and build capacity within the public health sector to achieve the broader target of access to healthcare for all in a sustainable manner.
The finance ministry stated that the agreement is a symbol of the government’s commitment to Aasandha, the national health insurance scheme, and the sustainable development goals on health and wellbeing. The agreement is also a robust example of how the government is working with development partners to address the issues in public healthcare in the Maldives.