Christophe Robino officially took up his post as Monaco’s new Minister of Health and Social Action on Wednesday, vowing to maintain excellence in health standards. So, who is this political outsider and what exactly does his job entail?
Christophe Robino is a busy man. He has spent the majority of his life as a medical doctor, specialising in nephrology and medical resuscitation. In this capacity, he was named as Head of the Department of Medical Specialities and Haemodialysis at Princess Grace Hospital (CHPG), Medical Director of the Private Haemodialysis Centre of Monaco, President of the Syndicate of Hospital Patricians, Member of the Board of Directors of the CHPG, Vice-President of the Council of the Order of Physicians, and Member of the Improvement Committee of the Scientific Centre of Monaco.
Robino is also a member of the National Council, where he serves as President of the Commission for Education, Youth and Sports, and in 2018 was appointed Chairman of the Commission for Social Interests and Various Affairs. Additionally, he actively participated in the meetings of the Joint Covid-19 Monitoring Committee set up in March 2020 to monitor the pandemic.
As such, Robino is well-placed to step into the role of Minister. The job is vast, and encompasses employment, labour relations, occupational health, public health, social security insurance, social services and families, the disabled and the elderly.
“Among the major axes around which his mission revolves, Christophe Robino wishes to continue to guarantee the excellence of the Monegasque health system, to maintain an effective model of protection, particularly for the most vulnerable, and to promote new social advances,” the government said of the new minister’s goals.
The departments that report to the ministry include the Department of Employment, the Department of Health Affairs, the Department of Social Welfare and Social Services, the State Medical Benefits Office, and the Secretariat of the Employment Tribunal in the public realm, and the Princess Grace Hospital and Social Protection Unit in the private sector.
Finally, it is also the task of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs to monitor changes in international agreements relating to social protection and in particular bilateral social security agreements with France and Italy.
The new minister will have his hands full, to be sure, but as a man whose credentials and past work ethic have shown him to be professional and diligent, he will no doubt rise to the challenge.
Photo by Stéphane Danna, Government Communication Department