Finance Ministry Pledges Medicine Price Reductions by Next Year

The Ministry of Finance has announced ongoing efforts to reduce the cost of medicines, with significant improvements expected by next year.

During an appearance on the state media programme *Raajje Today* on PSM, Deputy Minister Ahmed Saaid Musthafa outlined the government’s current initiatives to enhance the quality and availability of medicines. Saaid highlighted that healthcare expenditure under the Aasandha programme continues to rise, with more than half of the funds allocated towards importing medicines. 

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In response, the ministry, under the direction of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, is working closely with relevant agencies to implement cost-reduction strategies. These include adopting a bulk procurement approach and pooling resources to lower expenses.

This year, the government plans to import and distribute seven types of medicines in phases as part of these efforts. Saaid also addressed the high-profit margins on imported drugs, revealing that the markup in the Maldives ranges from 200 to 2,000 per cent. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to curbing unnecessary expenditure within the Aasandha programme and ensuring more affordable healthcare for the public.