Muskie [6] alumna SvetIana Cotelea of Moldova was recently appointed Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Moldova. In her new position, Cotelea will oversee the Moldovan public health sector and prioritize policies and interventions related to disease control. Cotelea will also direct efforts to address highly prevalent risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol consumption, unhealthy nutrition, and physical inactivity.
As the first woman to hold the position of Chief State Sanitary Doctor in Moldova and only the second female deputy minister of health, Cotelea will continue to strengthen the leadership role of women in Moldovan public administration and policy-making at all levels. Increasing the quality of public health services through technological modernization of laboratory capacities is another of her priorities.
Cotelea received her Master of Public Health from Kansas State University in 2011.
Mr. Brent Israelsen, the Assistant Public Affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy in Chisinau states, "We are delighted and proud to see one of our alumni entrusted with the responsibilities that go with being a deputy health minister in Moldova. We are certain that the experiences and insight she gained as a Muskie scholar will serve her well in her new job."
The Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program [6] is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs [7] of the U.S. Department of State and is implemented by IREX.