President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has stressed that investing in the health of young people is essential to sustaining the Maldives' healthcare system and supporting the country's transition towards an ageing population.
In a message marking World Population Day, President Muizzu said that while the Government remains focused on youth, it must also prepare for the needs of an ageing society. He said establishing lifelong healthy habits, preventing chronic diseases and delaying the onset of age-related illnesses among today's youth would help create the productive workforce and caregivers needed to sustain healthcare systems and support older people.
The President said investment in a structured Care Economy would ensure older persons receive quality healthcare and social support while reducing the unpaid care burden on families, particularly women. Strengthening care services, he said, would promote dignity, support workforce participation and help build a more resilient, inclusive and prosperous Maldives.
President Muizzu said sustainable development depends not only on population size but on the country's ability to empower its young people to realise their full potential. Noting that the Maldives is undergoing significant demographic change, he said this presents both opportunities and responsibilities.
He highlighted the Maldives 2.0 digital transformation initiative, saying it is modernising public services, accelerating digital infrastructure development and helping to build a robust digital economy. With around 39% of the population made up of young people, he said investing in quality education and meaningful employment opportunities remains one of his Administration's highest priorities.
The President also said these development efforts must be supported by accurate and timely demographic data to ensure policies effectively meet the needs of every community. He said Government administrative registers are being strengthened to provide accurate, real-time demographic information at the island level, improving evidence-based decision-making, reducing operational costs and increasing state efficiency.
President Muizzu said the Maldives is working towards conducting the 2030 Population and Housing Census using a hybrid approach that combines administrative registers with traditional enumeration. He added that the effort is guided by a comprehensive roadmap and will be supported by legal reforms to ensure no person is left uncounted.