Minister of Health Ahmed Naseem has assured there is no shortage of medicines in the Maldives.
Maldives imports medicine and medical equipment from India. However, amid an exponential rise in daily COVID-19 cases which has brought the health system near to collapse, India is also facing an acute shortage of hospital beds, medical oxygen supplies and medicines. Many countries have come forward and sent medical supplies to India.
Answering a question posed by PSM News on concerns of such a situation in neighbouring India and the impact it may have on the Maldives, Health Minister Naseem revealed there does not seem to be any shortcomings in medicine availability in the country. The minister expressed the stock of medicines are closely monitored at a time COVID-19 cases are increasing in the Maldives, adding a shortage of medicines will have a major impact on the healthcare system. Noting India has always assisted the Maldives in trying times as a close neighbour, he said it is understandable the situation in India will be their utmost priority rather than assisting other countries.
India's healthcare system staggers on the verge of collapse during a brutal second wave of COVID-19. The country surpassed a grim milestone of 20 million COVID-19 cases after the country registered more than 357,000 infections in the last 24 hours.