President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated that ensuring and promoting the health and well-being of the general public is indispensable to safeguarding socioeconomic development. He made the statement while speaking at the function held to mark the 75th anniversary of the government-run healthcare system.
Addressing the function, President Solih noted that opening the first healthcare centre in Male’ in 1948 guided a significant shift in lifestyles and a new era of economic development. He also highlighted the crucial role of private parties and healthcare facilities in Male’ and the atolls in modernising the country's healthcare system.
Additionally, President Solih spoke on the administration’s efforts to develop the healthcare system over the past four years. He noted that his administration established the country's first mental health centre and founded a stroke centre in 2020, in addition to many other improvements. He also detailed that the administration is developing five tertiary hospitals, six hospitals with a capacity of 50 beds, and 12 hospitals with 30 beds across the country. The administration is also focused on upgrading healthcare centres across the country and creating new jobs in the healthcare sector with the completion of these projects.
Furthermore, President Solih stressed that the administration prioritised the development of the healthcare sector this year, with a significant budget earmarked for the sector. It encompasses introducing a new and improved pay framework for healthcare professionals, starting May 1. He further highlighted the administration's efforts at capacity building in the healthcare sector through its free degree, student loan, and scholarship programmes.
At the function, President Solih conferred awards on eight healthcare professionals who had served in the sector for over 40 years.