Dr. Maryam Abdool-Richards was appointed to NIPDEC’s Board on November 16, 2020.

Dr. Abdool-Richards, is a physician specializing in Public Health and Family Medicine / Primary Health Care. She has over fifteen (15) years of experience in the public and private health sectors. Dr. Abdool – Richards is currently the Principal Medical Officer – Institutions (Ag.) at the Ministry of Health, Trinidad and Tobago, with responsibility for policy implementation, quality assurance, regulation and oversight of the five (5) Regional Health Authorities (RHAs). Dr. Abdool- Richards also serves as the Ministry of Health’s representative on several cabinet appointed Inter-Ministerial committees and provides technical knowledge on health diplomacy and international relations projects. Dr. Abdool-Richards has also acted as the Chief Medical Officer of Trinidad and Tobago on several occasions.

Prior to her appointment as the Principal Medical Officer, Dr. Abdool-Richards was the Technical Director of the Inter-American Development Bank (I.D.B) funded Health Services Support Programme of the Ministry of Health. She has extensive experience in Primary Health Care, Project Management, Health Systems and Financing for Health Care.

Dr. Abdool-Richards is an executive member of the National Muslim Women’s Organization of Trinidad and Tobago and provides advisory support to several civil society organizations with interests in women’s rights, gender equality and human rights.

Dr. Abdool-Richards graduated with a M.B.B.S degree from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine and was the recipient of the University Medal for overall top performance in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in all three (3) campuses of the University of the West Indies. She is also the holder of a Master of Science degree in Family Medicine from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, and a Master of Science degree in Public Health in Developing Countries from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, a constituent college of the University of London. In 2019, Dr. Abdool-Richards was awarded an Executive Master of Business Administration with Distinction from the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business. She has also received training in International Relations and Diplomacy, and is fluent in Spanish.