Nishan appointed HPA’s Director General

Ibrahim Nishan Ahmed, currently serving as the Deputy Director General of the Health Protection Agency (HPA), was appointed on Tuesday as the Agency’s Director General of Public Health.

The position of Director General of Public Health became vacant following the retirement of Maimoona Aboobakuru on the first day of this year.

Nishan, who assumed his new role today, is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in the public health sector. During his tenure as Deputy Director General, he played a leading role in numerous initiatives aimed at safeguarding public health in the Maldives. He was particularly instrumental in implementing safety measures during the COVID-19 pandemic and in coordinating health systems across the atolls.

Additionally, Nishan has been a key figure in national programs led by the HPA to eradicate diseases such as measles and rubella, as well as in efforts to control various other communicable diseases across the country.

Under the Public Health Protection Act, the Director General of Public Health bears primary responsibility for managing the Health Protection Agency. The law grants this position the authority to declare public health emergencies and to mandate special measures necessary for the protection of the general public during such crises.