Parliament rejects Health Minister

The Parliament has rejected the President’s nomination for the post of Minister of Health, Dr. Mariyam Shakeela.

Parliament voted 61 against, 11 votes in favour and 1 abstention in the vote to grant consent to the Health Minister today. The ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), also the majority party in parliament, issued a three-line whip against the consent vote moments before the 1:30 p.m. vote.

Dr Mariyam Shakeela first joined the Cabinet as Minister of Environment and Energy during President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik's administration. She was appointed Minister of Health and Gender by President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom soon after he took oath in November last year.

Dr Shakeela was re-appointed as the Minister of Health on 1 July after President Yameen changed the name of Ministry of Health and Gender to the Ministry of Health after revising the ministry’s mandate.