Te Marae Ora (TMO) Ministry for Health Director of Hospital Health Services Dr Yin Yin May will be retiring next month after 34 years of service in the Cook Islands.

Secretary of Health Bob Williams confirmed that Dr May, who first arrived into the country in 1989, retires in June.

Williams said the ministry will be making an acting appointment before finalising the role.

He said a permanent replacement will be made after the necessary recruitment process.

Dr May is a specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology (OBGYN) with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the Myanmar Institute of Medicine
She also has a Post Graduate Diploma OBGYN, from Fiji School of Medicine (FSM).

Dr May arrived in the Cook Islands in October 1989 with their two sons to join her husband, Dr Zaw Aung. They were initially based in the Pa Enua.

The couple joined Rarotonga Hospital in April, 2001 and gained Permanent Residence and New Zealand citizenship status in the same year.

In 2007 Dr May was appointed head of obstetrics and gynaecology division

and was also awarded an associate membership of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologists.

Dr May said her husband Dr Aung will also be retiring. She said they won’t be returning to their home country Myanmar immediately.