Ayesha Verrall

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The Honourable Ayesha Verrall MP FRACP
Verrall in 2023
43rd Minister of Health
In office 1 February 2023 – 27 November 2023
Prime Minister	Chris Hipkins
Preceded by	Andrew Little
Succeeded by	Shane Reti
2nd Minister for COVID-19 Response
In office 14 June 2022 – 1 February 2023
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern Chris Hipkins
Preceded by	Chris Hipkins
Succeeded by	Position abolished
27th Minister for Research, Science and Innovation
In office 14 June 2022 – 27 November 2023
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern Chris Hipkins
Preceded by	Megan Woods
Succeeded by	Judith Collins
14th Minister for Seniors
In office 6 November 2020 – 1 February 2023
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern Chris Hipkins
Preceded by	Tracey Martin
Succeeded by	Ginny Andersen
8th Minister for Food Safety
In office 6 November 2020 – 14 June 2022
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern
Preceded by	Damien O'Connor
Succeeded by	Meka Whaitiri
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Labour party list
Incumbent
Assumed office 17 October 2020
Personal details
Born	Ayesha Jennifer Verrall 1979 (age 44–45) Invercargill, New Zealand
Nationality	New Zealand Maldivian
Political party	Labour
Spouse	Alice
Children	1
Relatives	Mohamed Nasheed (cousin)
Alma mater	University of Otago (MB ChB, PhD) London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (MSc) Gorgas Institute (DipTropMedH)
Website	University of Otago profile
Scientific career
Fields	Infectious diseases
Institutions	University of Otago, Wellington
Thesis	Innate Factors in Early Clearance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (2018)
Doctoral advisors	Philip Hill Katrina Sharples Reinout van Crevel Bachti Alisjahbana

Ayesha Jennifer Verrall MP FRACP (/ˈaɪʃə/ EYE-shə;^[1] born 1979^[2][3]) is a New Zealand politician, infectious-diseases physician, and researcher with expertise in tuberculosis and international health. She is a Labour Party Member of the New Zealand Parliament and a Cabinet Minister with the roles of Minister of Health and Minister for Research, Science and Innovation. She has worked as a senior lecturer at the University of Otago, Wellington and as a member of the Capital and Coast District Health Board. During the COVID-19 pandemic she provided the Ministry of Health with an independent review and recommendations for its contact-tracing approach to COVID-19 cases.^[4]