President in TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in Health 2026

His Excellency President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has been named in TIME magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in Health 2026, in recognition of his leadership and policy measures advancing public health and preventive care in the Maldives.

The recognition highlights the Government’s strong focus on preventive healthcare and tobacco control measures introduced under the leadership of President Dr Muizzu. These include a generational tobacco ban, which prohibits anyone born after January 2007 from purchasing tobacco products, as well as a nationwide ban on the import, sale and use of vapes and e-cigarettes. The measures form part of a broader national plan to eliminate smoking and tobacco use.

In his interview with the magazine, the President noted that Government policy had traditionally focused on curative responses to health issues rather than preventive measures. He emphasised that his Administration has sought to place equal focus on both prevention and treatment.

Additional nationwide initiatives include the establishment of free tobacco cessation clinics across the islands and the introduction of a free 24-hour mental health helpline. The Maldives has also achieved the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B, marking a significant public health milestone.