Raed Arafat is Romania’s new health minister

Newsroom 07/11/2012 | 11:54

President Traian Basescu has signed today the appointment decree of Raed Arafat to the position of health minister, according to a press release from the Administration of the President.

Starting October PM Victor Ponta has acted as the official interim health minister, after Vasile Cepoi resigned from the position following accusations of corruption while working for the Public Health Directorate in Iasi.

Arafat has previously served as state deputy secretary with the Health Ministry. He was appointed in this position in August 2007 by then prime minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu, his attributions lying in emergency medicine. Doctor Arafat set up the Mobile Emergency and Intensive Therapy Service (SMURD) in 1990. He is presently the program’s coordinator.