The State Trading Organization (STO) has announced that its pharmacies will be closed for three days as part of the transfer of their operations to the State Pharmaceutical and Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (StatePharma).

In a statement, STO said all of its pharmacies will remain closed on 24, 25 and 26 June to facilitate inventory counting ahead of the transition.

STO said arrangements have been made to ensure medicines will continue to be available for emergency cases throughout the three-day closure.

Once the transition is complete, all pharmacy services previously provided by STO, along with the procurement, import and distribution of medicines and medical supplies, will be carried out by StatePharma.

StatePharma was established to improve access to medicines and medical supplies across the Maldives. The company is mandated to procure, import and distribute medicines, medical consumables and medical equipment, while strengthening the national pharmaceutical supply and distribution network.

STO has been working towards completing the transfer of its pharmacy operations to StatePharma by 1 July.