President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said that it has become crucial to establish a medical institute to develop Maldives’ health sector.

Speaking at the Maldives medical conference on Sunday, the President highlighted the significant changes that has occurred in the field of medicine and said that every nation is contributing to its development.

Highlighting the government’s focus on improving the wellbeing of citizens, President Solih said people’s intellectual development and healthy lifestyle is important for national development and that it was also their responsibility to develop the health sector for the next generation.

He also vouched for the merit of traditional Maldivian medicine, which he described as being well researched, and said that failing to write down the findings of traditional medicine is the reason its use has declined over the years.

President Soilh also said that medicine is only one part of healthy living and that the other part is to establish healthy habits into one’s personal life. He urged all families to develop the younger members of the family into active and healthy adults.

He warned that Maldivians still indulge in numerous unhealthy habits and that modern comforts have made people intellectually and physically lazy. He said that the solution is to exercise and eat healthy foods and advised that living a healthy lifestyle that prevents illnesses is much better than treatment.