President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated that the biggest challenge that the Maldivian health industry faced was the normalisation of corruption.

The President's statement came during an event held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Baa Atoll Hospital.

He noted that after the inception of Aasandha, without actually fulfilling its intention it has become a burden to the state budget to the presence of corruption in transactions through it. The President had highlighted that corruption had affected many projects that were set to be launched in the health industry.

President Solih added that the government's health policy was to provide healthcare from the nearest possible location and noted that works on the primary healthcare program will be given a special priority this year.

He stressed that this would only work by bringing changes to the health industry of the Maldives through decentralisation system, and improving of facilities and services of medical centers and hospitals.