Isabella Dageago

The Honourable
Isabella Dageago
MP
Member of the Nauruan Parliament
for Yaren District
Incumbent
Assumed office
25 August 2019
Preceded byKieren Keke
Personal details
NationalityNauru Nauruan

Isabella Dageago is a Nauruan nurse and politician who currently serves as the Minister Health and Home Affairs in the Parliament of Nauru.

Dagaego (second from right) with the Philippine ambassador (second from left)

Career

Prior to entering politics, Dageago trained and qualified as a nurse.

In the 2019 Nauruan parliamentary election, Dageago was elected as one of two Members of Parliament for Yaren District, alongside incumbent Charmaine Scotty; she unseated former Minister of Foreign Affairs Kieren Keke.[1] Dageago ran as an independent. Dageago and Scotty were the only female MPs elected.[2]

In that election, President Baron Waqa lost his seat, and was succeeded by Lionel Aingimea. Aingimea named Dageago as a member of his Cabinet, giving her the portfolios for Health and Home Affairs.[3]

During Dageago's tenure as Minister Health, she has led Nauru's response to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, including declaring a national emergency in March 2020.[4] In April 2021, Dageago personally issued the country's first vaccine to Aingimea; by May, she announced that the entire adult population of Nauru - accounting for 63% of the total population - had been vaccinated against coronavirus, and estimated second doses would be completed by July 2021 following a donation of 10, 000 vaccinations from the government of India.[5][6] As of August 2021, no cases of coronavirus had been reported in Nauru.[7]

After President David Adeang was sworn in on 31 October 2023, Dageago took an oath of office for a deputy minister position.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Nauru's President out". Islands Business. 25 August 2019. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  2. ^ "Nauru". Pacific Women in Politics. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  3. ^ "All new Cabinet named by Nauru President Aingimea." Loop Nauru. 29 August 2019. Retrieved 2021-12-12.
  4. ^ "Coronavirus: Sweeping restrictions introduced across the Pacific". RNZ. 2020-03-18. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  5. ^ "Nauru vaccinates entire adult population". RNZ. 11 May 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  6. ^ "In brief: News from around the Pacific". RNZ. 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  7. ^ "Nauru: WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard With Vaccination Data". covid19.who.int. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  8. ^ "Nauru's President Adeang sworn in, names his Cabinet". RNZ. 31 October 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.