Minister of Health Abdulla Nazim has announced that the State Trading Organization is now importing around 900 types of medicines to the Maldives, a significant increase from the previous figure of about 200.

The minister said the expansion is part of efforts to strengthen STO’s role as the main supplier of medicines in the country and to improve the availability of essential drugs across the health system.

He also noted that treatment guidelines have been strengthened, with 41 new treatment regulations introduced last year. These guidelines are intended to ensure doctors clearly understand which medicines should be used for specific treatments.

According to the minister, once these measures are fully implemented, the list of approved medicines in the Maldives is expected to expand further, improving access to regulated and reliable treatments.