Reliable access to essential medicines is the backbone of any resilient healthcare system. As a leading development agency, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has long supported countries worldwide in strengthening their health sectors, ensuring essential medicines are accessible and affordable while building local capacities in health procurement. 

In 2023, UNDP extended this expertise to the Maldives through a transformative partnership with the Government of Maldives, integrating the country into UNDP’s global health procurement network. At its core was a groundbreaking step: procuring high-quality, essential medicines through UNDP’s global health procurement services. This initiative not only delivered critical medications to the Maldives but also did so at significantly reduced costs.

By May 2024, the first shipment of 11 essential medicines, including antibiotics, insulin, and anti-seizure drugs, reached Maldivian shores. These medicines, rigorously vetted through UNDP’s quality assurance process, began circulating across the nation. The impact was immediate—medicine costs under the national health insurance scheme, Aasandha, dropped by an incredible 50%–70%. These savings are to be reinvested into structural and policy reforms to further strengthen the health insurance system.

Even with a change in government in November 2023, the value of this partnership remained evident. The new administration reaffirmed its commitment, highlighting the initiative as a cornerstone of their health agenda. By the end of 2024, UNDP had placed additional orders for medicines, which is estimated to generate cumulative savings of 65% to the government and ensure a sustainable supply of essential medicines for an additional year.

Amid economic uncertainty, this collaboration seeks to strengthen public financing for health, expand access to essential medicines, and enhance social protection for all Maldivians. It supports efforts to fortify the national health insurance system and brings us one step closer to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being. Together, UNDP and the Maldives are building a future where affordable, quality healthcare is within everyone’s reach.

This article was updated on 23 April 2025.