Minister of Health, Family and Welfare, Geela Ali, has declared that every elderly individual in the Maldives is an essential contributor to the nation’s growth and development.
The Minister made these remarks during a special event held in Hulhumale' to commemorate the International Day of Older Persons.
Organised by the Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare, the celebratory event drew a large gathering of senior citizens alongside representatives from various local institutions. The day’s activities commenced at 6:15 am with a refreshing morning walk for elderly participants, which concluded with a lively gathering at Hulhumale’ Central Park.
Addressing the attendees, Minister Geela expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the seniors for their participation and lauded the profound wisdom, skills, and enduring values they have passed down to younger generations.
"We take pride in our mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and grandfathers who are with us today. We honour the valuable lessons and contributions they have brought us. In building our nation and reaching where we are today, every single one of you has been a vital service provider. I am pleased to assure you that the government and society recognise and appreciate the hard work you have done,” she said.
Also speaking at the event, the Managing Director of the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), Ali Zuhair, highlighted ongoing efforts to ensure that the urban landscape of Hulhumale’ remains inclusive. He revealed that work is actively underway to redesign and develop parks and public spaces to be fully accessible to senior citizens, noting that this remains a high-priority initiative for the administration.
To further promote senior wellness, HDC has launched applications for its "Dhulhaheyo Israhvehin" (Healthy Senior Citizens) programme under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) wing. The programme, which is completely free of charge, will run three days a week and feature various group activities. Enrolled seniors will also benefit from monthly excursions to experience industrial projects across the Maldives and routine health screenings conducted every three months. HDC is currently accepting registrations for the initiative.
The morning of celebration concluded on a high note with group exercise sessions and a tree-planting initiative led by the senior participants.
This year’s International Day of Older Persons is marked under the global theme, “The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives.” Aligning with this vision, the Ministry confirmed that additional activities are scheduled to roll out in the coming weeks.