ʻAmelia Afuhaʻamango Tuʻipulotu

ʻAmelia Afuhaʻamango Tuʻipulotu is a Tongan nurse and former Minister of Health.

ʻAmelia Afuhaʻamango Tuʻipulotu
Minister for Health
In office
10 October 2019 – 28 December 2021
Prime MinisterPohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa
Preceded bySaia Piukala
Succeeded bySaia Piukala
Personal details
Political partynone

Tuʻipulotu trained as a nurse, and worked in Australia and Tonga.[1] She received an Australian Development Scholarship to attend the University of Sydney, and in 2012 became the first Tongan to receive a Nursing PhD.[1][2] After graduation, she worked for Tonga's Ministry of Health, becoming Matron of the Nursing Department at Vaiola Hospital in Tonga.[2]

In October 2019 she was appointed Minister of Health in the cabinet of Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa.[3] Tuʻipulotu was the only Minister from outside the Legislative Assembly of Tonga.[4]

In May 2020 she was elected to a position of Rapporteur on the World Health Organization's executive board.[5] In December 2021 newly-elected Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni replaced her as Minister of Health, reappointing her predecessor Saia Piukala.[6] In December 2022 she was appointed the WHO's Chief Nursing Officer.[7]

Honours

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National honours

References

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  1. ^ a b "Tonga's first ever PhD in Nursing graduates from Sydney". University of Sydney. 14 December 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Australia Awards in Tonga". Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  3. ^ ""Prime Minister Announces New Cabinet Ministers"". Government of Tonga. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Diverse Tonga Cabinet aims to end division". Loop Pacific. 30 September 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  5. ^ "Health Minister elected to role on WHO Executive Board". Matangi Tonga. 25 May 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  6. ^ "PM names new government". Matangi Tonga. 29 December 2021. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Former Health Minister appointed WHO Chief Nurse". Matangi Tonga. 17 December 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  8. ^ "King's Birthday awards". Matangi Tonga. 7 July 2021. Archived from the original on 8 July 2021.