State Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies Corporation (State Pharma) says its primary mission is to ensure the uninterrupted availability of essential medicines across the Maldives rather than maximizing commercial profits.

Managing Director Dr. Shah Mahir speaking on a program on Dhivehi Raajjeyge Adu said that the corporation's core responsibility is to procure medicines and medical supplies in bulk and maintain a reliable nationwide distribution system.

He noted that medicine shortages have remained a longstanding challenge and that State Pharma is implementing long-term strategies to strengthen the country's pharmaceutical supply chain.

As part of these efforts, the corporation is enhancing its stock and supply chain management systems while introducing modern digital technologies to improve efficiency and inventory monitoring.

State Pharma also plans to develop more accurate forecasting models to better estimate national medicine demand and maintain sufficient reserves to meet the country's needs for up to two years.

For medicines that are not currently available in the Maldives, the company will continue importing them based on medical prescriptions while broader supply improvements are implemented.

State Pharma recently assumed responsibility for pharmacies previously operated by the State Trading Organization (STO), bringing a total of 193 pharmacies under its management.

The corporation also found that only 25 percent of the medicines used in the Maldives had previously been registered under STO.

In response, State Pharma is working with private sector suppliers to expand the range of medicines available while helping keep prices affordable for patients.

To improve public access to pharmaceutical services, the corporation has introduced a dedicated 24-hour hotline.

The service, available through 1505, provides assistance to people across the country seeking information or support related to medicine availability and pharmaceutical services.