The ongoing difficulties in procuring pharmaceuticals will only be resolved by forecasting the Maldives’ medication needs in advance, a challenge that is currently being addressed through the development of a new predictive tracking system, Dr Shah Mahir, the managing director of the State Pharmaceutical and Medical Supply Corporation Limited, stated.
Speaking on the PSM News programme ‘Raajje Miadhu’, Shah explained that systemic vulnerabilities within the supply chain require the preemptive identification of the nation’s precise requirements. An enterprise resource management system and e-logistics platform are already operational, with the complete digital architecture scheduled for completion by September. This framework will feature a public portal, enabling citizens to instantly verify the availability and precise location of essential medicines across the country.
By leveraging this infrastructure, the corporation expects to anticipate the specific types and volumes of pharmaceuticals required. Such forecasting facilitates the procurement and decentralised storage of long-shelf-life medications directly within island communities. “In small populations, particularly within the smaller islands, for example, it is essential to establish how many individuals with diabetes reside in a given community,” Shah remarked, noting that precise demographic data ensures uninterrupted supply. “We have the certainty that those medications will be utilised.”
While this infrastructure takes shape, the corporation is prioritising the importation of critically low or depleted pharmaceuticals. A significant shipment of these essential supplies is expected to arrive within two weeks.