# Minister of Health (Iceland)

The Minister of Health (Icelandic: Heilbrigðisráðherra) is a part of the Cabinet of Iceland. It is currently a part of the Ministry of Welfare.

## History

The cabinet position existed between 20 November 1959 and 1 January 1970 and again between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2010. The Ministry of Health existed alongside the Minister after 1 January 1970, when the Cabinet of Iceland Act no. 73/1969 took effect, since ministries had not formally existed separately from the ministers. Between 1 January 1970 and 1 January 2008 the position became Minister of Health and Social Security (Icelandic: Heilbrigðis- og tryggingamálaráðherra), and the ministry itself was renamed accordingly. On 31 December 2010, the Ministry of Health was merged with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Security to form the Ministry of Welfare.

## List of ministers
### Minister of Health (20 November 1959 – 1 January 1970)

| Nº | Minister | Took office | Left office | Duration | Party | Cabinet |
| 1 | Bjarni Benediktsson (1908–1970) | 20 November 1959 | 14 September 1961 | 1 year, 9 months, 25 days (664 days) | IP | Ólafur Thors V |
| 2 | Jóhann Hafstein (1915–1980) | 14 September 1961 | 1 January 1962 | 3 months, 18 days (109 days) | IP | Ólafur Thors V |
| (1) | Bjarni Benediktsson (1908–1970) | 1 January 1962 | 14 November 1963 | 1 year, 10 months, 13 days (682 days) | IP | Ólafur Thors V |
| (2) | Jóhann Hafstein (1915–1980) | 14 November 1963 | 1 January 1970 | 6 years, 1 month, 18 days (2,240 days) | IP | Bjarni Benediktsson |

### Minister of Health and Social Security (1 January 1970 – 1 January 2008)

The Cabinet of Iceland Act no. 73/1969, which had been passed by the parliament 28 May 1969, took effect on 1 January 1970, thus the Cabinet was formally established along with its ministries, which had up until then not formally existed separately from the ministers.
| Nº | Minister | Took office | Left office | Duration | Party | Cabinet |
| 3 | Eggert Gíslason Þorsteinsson (1925–1995) | 1 January 1970 | 14 July 1971 | 1 year, 6 months, 13 days (559 days) | SDP | Bjarni Benediktsson |
| 3 | Eggert Gíslason Þorsteinsson (1925–1995) | 1 January 1970 | 14 July 1971 | 1 year, 6 months, 13 days (559 days) | SDP | Jóhann Hafstein |
| 4 | Magnús Kjartansson (1919–1981) | 14 July 1971 | 28 August 1974 | 3 years, 1 month, 14 days (1,141 days) | PA | Ólafur Jóhannesson I |
| 5 | Matthías Bjarnason (1921–2014) | 28 August 1974 | 1 September 1978 | 4 years, 4 days (1,465 days) | IP | Geir Hallgrímsson |
| 6 | Magnús Helgi Magnússon (1922–2006) | 1 September 1978 | 8 February 1980 | 1 year, 5 months, 7 days (525 days) | SDP | Ólafur Jóhannesson II |
| 6 | Magnús Helgi Magnússon (1922–2006) | 1 September 1978 | 8 February 1980 | 1 year, 5 months, 7 days (525 days) | SDP | Benedikt Gröndal |
| 7 | Svavar Gestsson (1944–2021) | 8 February 1980 | 26 May 1983 | 3 years, 3 months, 18 days (1,203 days) | PA | Gunnar Thoroddsen |
| (5) | Matthías Bjarnason (1921–2014) | 26 May 1983 | 16 October 1985 | 2 years, 4 months, 20 days (874 days) | IP | Steingrímur Hermannsson I |
| 8 | Ragnhildur Helgadóttir (1930–2016) | 16 October 1985 | 8 July 1987 | 1 year, 8 months, 22 days (630 days) | IP | Steingrímur Hermannsson I |
| 9 | Guðmundur Kristján Bjarnason (1944–) | 8 July 1987 | 30 April 1991 | 3 years, 9 months, 22 days (1,392 days) | PP | Þorsteinn Pálsson |
| 9 | Guðmundur Kristján Bjarnason (1944–) | 8 July 1987 | 30 April 1991 | 3 years, 9 months, 22 days (1,392 days) | PP | Steingrímur Hermannsson II |
| 9 | Guðmundur Kristján Bjarnason (1944–) | 8 July 1987 | 30 April 1991 | 3 years, 9 months, 22 days (1,392 days) | PP | Steingrímur Hermannsson III |
| 10 | Sighvatur Kristinn Björgvinsson (1942–) | 30 April 1991 | 14 June 1993 | 2 years, 1 month, 15 days (776 days) | SDP | Davíð Oddsson I |
| 11 | Guðmundur Árni Stefánsson (1955–) | 14 June 1993 | 24 June 1994 | 1 year, 10 days (375 days) | SDP | Davíð Oddsson I |
| (10) | Sighvatur Kristinn Björgvinsson (1942–) | 24 June 1994 | 23 April 1995 | 9 months, 30 days (303 days) | SDP | Davíð Oddsson I |
| 12 | Ingibjörg Pálmadóttir (1949–) | 23 April 1995 | 14 April 2001 | 5 years, 11 months, 22 days (2,183 days) | PP | Davíð Oddsson II |
| 12 | Ingibjörg Pálmadóttir (1949–) | 23 April 1995 | 14 April 2001 | 5 years, 11 months, 22 days (2,183 days) | PP | Davíð Oddsson III |
| 13 | Jón Halldór Kristjánsson (1942–) | 14 April 2001 | 7 March 2006 | 4 years, 10 months, 21 days (1,788 days) | PP | Davíð Oddsson III |
| 13 | Jón Halldór Kristjánsson (1942–) | 14 April 2001 | 7 March 2006 | 4 years, 10 months, 21 days (1,788 days) | PP | Davíð Oddsson IV |
| 13 | Jón Halldór Kristjánsson (1942–) | 14 April 2001 | 7 March 2006 | 4 years, 10 months, 21 days (1,788 days) | PP | Halldór Ásgrímsson |
| 14 | Siv Friðleifsdóttir (1962–) | 7 March 2006 | 24 May 2007 | 1 year, 2 months, 17 days (443) | PP | Halldór Ásgrímsson |
| 14 | Siv Friðleifsdóttir (1962–) | 7 March 2006 | 24 May 2007 | 1 year, 2 months, 17 days (443) | PP | Geir Haarde I |
| 15 | Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson (1967–) | 24 May 2007 | — | — | IP | Geir Haarde II |

### Minister of Health (1 January 2008 – 31 December 2010)

| Nº | Minister | Took office | Left office | Duration | Party | Cabinet |
| (15) | Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson (1967–) | — | 1 February 2009 | 1 year, 8 months, 8 days (619 days) | IP | Geir Haarde II |
| 16 | Ögmundur Jónasson (1948–) | 1 February 2009 | 1 October 2009 | 8 months (242 days) | LGM | Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir I |
| 16 | Ögmundur Jónasson (1948–) | 1 February 2009 | 1 October 2009 | 8 months (242 days) | LGM | Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir II |
| 17 | Álfheiður Ingadóttir (1951–) | 1 October 2009 | 2 September 2010 | 11 months, 1 day (336 days) | LGM | Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir II |
| 18 | Guðbjartur Hannesson (1950–) | 2 September 2010 | 31 December 2010 | 3 months, 29 days (120 days) | SDA | Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir II |

### Minister of Health (23 May 2013 – present)

| Nº | Minister | Took office | Left office | Duration | Party | Cabinet |
| 19 | Kristján Þór Júlíusson (1957–) | 23 May 2013 | 11 January 2017 | 3 years, 7 months, 19 days (1,329 days) | IP | Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson |
| 19 | Kristján Þór Júlíusson (1957–) | 23 May 2013 | 11 January 2017 | 3 years, 7 months, 19 days (1,329 days) | IP | Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson |
| 20 | Óttarr Proppé (1968–) | 11 January 2017 | 30 November 2017 | 10 months, 19 days (323 days) | BF | Bjarni Benediktsson |
| 21 | Svandís Svavarsdóttir (1964–) | 30 November 2017 | 28 November 2021 | 3 years, 11 months, 29 days (1459 days) | LGM | Katrín Jakobsdóttir I |
| 22 | Willum Þór Þórsson (1960–) | 28 November 2021 | 21 December 2024 | 3 years and 23 days (1,119 days) | PP | Katrín Jakobsdóttir II |
| 22 | Willum Þór Þórsson (1960–) | 28 November 2021 | 21 December 2024 | 3 years and 23 days (1,119 days) | PP | Bjarni Benediktsson II |
| 23 | Alma Möller (1961–) | 21 December 2024 | Incumbent | 5 days (5 days) | SDA | Kristrún Frostadóttir |