SUMMARY  

Access to high quality, and affordable health-care services is critical to strengthening the Maldivian Universal Health Coverage Scheme. To ensure this while also drivingcost efficiencies for the Universal Health Coverage Scheme in Maldives, quality-assured bulk procurement of essential medicines has been identified as an important strategy to achieve economies of scale, resulting in cost- savings, and ultimately contributing towards attainment of the sustainability of the scheme.  

UNDP’s Project Initiation Plan (PIP) with the Government of Maldives is aimed to lay the foundation for procurement of selected medicines at scale, with also a key component of providing technical assistance required to build the necessary supply chain management and logistical planning expertise within national systems and institutions. 

BACKGROUND  

The overall objective of the Project is to strengthen the long-term financial sustainability of the Maldives Universal Health Coverage Scheme — "Aasandha” . 

UNDP’s assistance in procuring quality-assured medicines at scale is expected to streamline the delivery time and the costs. The potential savings and service efficiency from this project can be reallocated towards improving the quality of healthcare services in the Maldives, which can increase the coverage of existing social protection mechanisms and public health service delivery channels across the country, especially in the outer islands of Maldives through allocative efficiency.  

The initiative links Maldives to global medicine supply chains through UNDP Global Long Term Agreement holders, ensuring broader and wider access to manufacturers and suppliers all over the world. The UNDP's procurement approach follows a stringent quality assurance process, and ensures high-quality health products from WHO-approved manufacturers, along with robust transparency and risk management practices. 

For more information on UNDP Quality Assurance Process for Health Products see: https://popp.undp.org/policy-page/quality-assurance-health-products. 

PROJECT OUTCOMES  

1. Enhancing cost efficiency in medicine procurement through bulk purchasing

2. Providing technical advisory/capacity building on health financing, data management, public procurement and strengthening medicine legal framework 

GEWE / GESI COMPONENT 

Gender responsiveness will be mainstreamed throughout the project.  

ACHIEVEMENTS  

Based on needs identified and orders placed by the national partners, the medicines below have been procured through this project thus far. 

Procured and Delivered 

1. Diclofenac, 50mg 

2. Meropenem trihydrate 1000 mg, lyophilized powder for injection 

3. Ceftriaxone, 1g power for injection 

4. Vildagliptin, 50mg, 

5. Vildagliptin + Metformin, 50mg + 1000mg 

6. Carbamazepine, 200mg 

7. Carbamazepine, 100mg/5ml, oral solution 

8. Fluoxetine, 20mg 

9. Insulin Analogue rapid, Aspart, 100IU/ml, injectable solution, 3ml  

10. Insulin Analogue long acting, Glargine, 100IU/ml, injectable solution, 3ml  

Procured and Delivery in Progress 

11. Insulin Analogue, LONG ACTING 100 IU/ml, 3ml  

12. Insulin Analogue, BIPHASIC 30-70 IU/ml, 3ml 

13. Phenobarbital (sodium), 200mg/ml, solution for injection, 1ml  

14. Diazepam tablets 2mg  

15. Ceftriaxone (sodium), 500mg 

16. Amoxicillin/Clavulanic acid, 1000mg/200mg 

17. Lorazepam, 1mg 

18. Indacaterol (maleate) /Glycopyrronium (bromide), 110mcg/50mcg, powder for inhalation 

19. Ceftriaxone, 1g, powder for IM IV injection 

20. Meropenem trihydrate 1000 mg, lyophilized powder for injection   

Related articles: https://www.undp.org/maldives/news/undp-maldives-signs-agreement-government-maldives-bulk-procurement-medicine-maldives