Male' city pharmacies reportedly out of insulin pens; ministry still verifying situation

The type of insulin required by diabetes patients is currently unavailable in Male' City, prompting public concern on social media.

One of the biggest worries among the public is the recurring shortage of medicines for common illnesses in the Maldives. Complaints about stockouts and unavailability surface frequently.

Former Deputy Managing Director of Maldivian, the national airline, Aishath Jennifer, posted on X on Wednesday that pharmacies in Male' City were running out of insulin pens, forcing people to “drive all over Male” in search of them. Responding to a question under her post, she said she was unable to find insulin from the brand Novofine.

A reply to Jennifer’s post, from a user named Phiraash, said he had visited almost every pharmacy in Male' the previous night and found that insulin pens were out of stock everywhere.

When asked whether Male' City had run out of insulin, the Ministry of Health said it would respond after clarifying the situation. However, the ministry had not issued a statement at the time of writing.

Insulin pen nulibigen mulhi Male’ ga dhuvvan jehijje . Ekam DIabetic meehun raajeyga Haadha Gina vaaane ey .

— Aishath Jennifer (@JenniferAishath) May 6, 2026

Statistics show that one in ten people in the Maldives lives with diabetes.

Aminath Zeeniya, Managing Director of Aasandha, said the shortage of medicines, including those required for diabetes, remains a major concern, and such complaints continue to be received.

Speaking to the Parliamentary Committee on State‑Owned Enterprises on Tuesday, Zeeniya said there were significant challenges in importing medicines and issuing them under Aasandha.

She noted that although Aasandha checks whether medicines are approved by the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA), it does not verify whether the drugs are included in the essential medicines list when registering pharmacies.

One of the biggest obstacles in ensuring consistent supply, she added, is the frequent change in imported brands.

Health Minister Geela Ali has previously stated that ensuring access to essential medicines is one of the most pressing challenges in the health sector.

In addition to shortages, the public is also concerned about the long delays in importing medicines that are not available in the Maldives.