The Ministry of Public Health (, MSP) is the ministry of the Government of Uruguay responsible for establishing public health policies and strategies, in order to contribute to the improvement of the health of the inhabitants of the Nation.
The ministry's mission is to establish policies and strategies for the fulfillment of essential public health functions, as well as to guide the functioning of the National Integrated Health System (SNIS). The Ministry is headquartered at 18 de Julio Avenue in Barrio Cordón, Montevideo. This government portfolio is in charge of the National Institute for Donation and Transplantation of Cells, Tissues and Organs. The current Minister of Public Health is Cristina Lustemberg, who has held the position since March 1, 2025.
History The Ministry of Public Health was created on September 5, 1933, by president Gabriel Terra. Law 9,202 "Organic Law of Public Health" was enacted on January 12, 1934, and merged the two public institutions existing up to that time: "National Hygiene Council" and "National Public Assistance".
Since the approval of law 18161 of July 29, 2007, in which the State Health Services Administration (ASSE) was created, the ministry ceases to have direct competence over the country's health centers.
List of ministers of public health MinisterBeganEndedEduardo Blanco Acevedo19331936Juan César Mussio Fournier19361943Adolfo Folle Joanicó19431945Francisco Forteza19461947Enrique Claveaux19471949Lisandro Cersósimo19501951Carlos A. Viana Aranguren19511952Federico García Capurro19521954Julio César Estrella19551956Vicente Basagoiti19561958Washington Isola19581959Carlos Stajano19591960Aparicio Méndez19611964Francisco Rodríguez Camusso19651967Ricardo Yannicelli19671968Carlos Queraltó Oribe1968Walter Ravenna19681972Pablo Purriel19721973Juan Bruno Iruleguy¹19731974Justo Alonso Leguízamo¹19741976Mario Arcos Pérez¹1976Antonio Cañellas¹19761981Luis Givogre¹19811985Raúl Ugarte19851990Alfredo Solari19901991Carlos Delpiazzo19911992Guillermo García Costa19921995Alfredo Solari19951997Raúl Bustos19972000Horacio Fernández Ameglio20002001Luis Fraschini20012002Alfonso Varela20022003Conrado Bonilla20032005María Julia Muñoz20052010Daniel Olesker20102011Jorge Venegas20112013Susana Muñiz20132015Jorge Basso20152020Daniel Salinas20202023Karina Rando20232025Cristina Lustemberg2025in officeSource ¹ Ministers of the Military-Civic government (1973-1985).
See also
Health in Uruguay
References