The parliament has given their approval moments ago to the new Health Minister, Ahmed Naseem.

In the vote following the report from the Government Responsibility Committee of the Parliament regarding the decision to give approval for the newly appointed Health Minister, 66 of the 70 MPs presented voted to give approval.

Naseem was appointed as the Health Minister after the previous Health Minister, Abdulla Ameen, who was in the position on a slot for the Jumhoory Party (JP) as per the government coalition, resigned following allegations of corruption in the purchase of ventilators to government hospitals amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before his appointment to the position, Naseem was serving as the Minister at the President’s Office and also plays a key role in the main party of the government coalition, MDP.

He has previously served as the Foreign Minister during the Presidency of Mohamed Nasheed, the current Speaker of the Parliament and President of MDP.