Health Minister Dr. Abdulla Khaleel has disclosed that the State Trading Organization (STO) was owed about MVR 300 million for health-related expenditures when the current administration assumed office.
Responding to questions raised by MPs in Parliament today, Minister Khaleel said that hospitals and health centers frequently face shortages of medical consumables. However, he said efforts are being made to ensure that medical consumables are not exhausted.
“When we took over the government, we had about MVR 300 million owed to STO for expenses related to consumables, reagents, and other health sector-related expenditures,” Khaleel said.
The minister said most of this debt has now been settled, making it easier for STO to supply medical consumables.
Khaleel said efforts are also being made to ensure the continuous supply of medical consumables by developing a software to track the availability of medical consumables in atoll hospitals and health centers.
“Through the software, we will know the number of consumables available in the islands,” Khaleel said.
The minister stated that the software will simplify the process of identifying which hospitals and health centers need stock and ensure their requirements are met.
