Ms Myriam Abel

Retired public health officer

Biography

I celebrated my 70 years old anniversary this year on March 14.

I am a retired public health officer with a nursing background and have been working for the Ministry of Health of the Government of Vanuatu from 1980 to 2008.

During my 28 years of working as a health professional I worked in different departments of the Vanuatu Health Systems such as:

  1. Nursing Tutor for ten years: 1980–1990
  2. Principal Community Health officer and Manager HIV/AIDS 1991–1998
  3. Director of Public Health 1999–2002
  4. Director General of the Ministry of Health 2002 – retired in December 2008
  5. Contracted by WHO on a APW for few assignments on revitalization of Primary Health Care in Vanuatu 2009–2012
  6. 2013 to date on WHO SSA and supporting Ministry of Health as a technical advisor on Health Promotion. My SSA position is an annual contract.

During my tenure as Director of PH I served a one-year term (2001–2002) as Chair of the WHO Executive Board.

I am a graduate of the University of Queensland for a master’s degree on Tropical Health after a completing of 1-year study (1993–1994) on Tropical Health.