Iranian president dismisses health minister

TEHRAN,Dec.29(MNA) – President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday dismissed Marzieh Vahid-Dastjerdi from the post of health minister and appointed Mohammad Hassan Tariqat-Monfared as caretaker minister. Vahid-Dastjerdi was the only woman who served as a minister in the history of the Islamic Republic. Vahid-Dastjerdi’s dismissal came shortly after she publicly criticized the government’s response to the shortage of medicine imports and said that not enough foreign currency had been allocated for the import of medicines. In the decree to appoint the caretaker minister, Ahmadinejad said that the reduction of the people’s health care expenses is among the main priorities of the Health Ministry. Deputy Parliament Speaker Mohammad Reza Bahonar criticized the president’s decision and said that the Majlis Presiding Board will examine the dismissal of the health minister. Vocal MP Ahmad Tavakoli described the dismissal of the health minister as degrading. Tavakoli said the president sometimes exaggerates about people, but when he becomes unhappy with them, he fires them in a very bad way.