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John O. Agwunobi, M.D., M.B.A., M.P.H., was named Florida's Secretary
of Health, by Governor Jeb Bush, in October 2001. As Secretary, Dr. Agwunobi
moved the Department of Health towards excellence-pushing for increased
efficiency, customer focus and productivity. He leads the call for a healthier
Florida, advocating for improved nutrition and exercise in an effort to
address the state's epidemic of overweight and obesity. Dr. Agwunobi continues
to focus on the state's disease control efforts and maternal and child
health initiatives. He is currently working to decrease the state's infant
mortality rate, lower tobacco use among young Floridians, diminish racial
and ethnic health disparities, and improve overall access to medical and
dental care.
The day after being named Secretary of Health, Dr. Agwunobi led the
department in its response to the nation's first-ever intentional anthrax
attack. Dr. Agwunobi has since guided the state of Florida's efforts to
prepare for, prevent, respond to and mitigate the effects of a bioterrorism
attack.
Dr. Agwunobi has a wealth of experience in health care delivery, managed
care, health policy, and public health. In 1990, he moved to Washington,
DC, where he completed his pediatric residency at Howard University Hospital.
His training included rotating between Children's National Medical Center
and the District of Columbia General Hospital-then one of the nation's
busiest inner-city hospitals. It was there that Dr. Agwunobi became interested
in children with disabilities and patients with special needs, particularly
in urban communities.
A Passion for Leadership and Commitment to Excellence in Public Health
In June 1993, Dr. Agwunobi joined the medical staff at the Hospital for
Sick Children, a Washington, DC-based pediatric rehabilitation hospital
and community health care provider. He became Medical Director in July
1998, and a year later, was named Vice President of Medical Affairs and
Patient Services. He simultaneously served as medical director for an
affiliated managed care plan, where he maintained a network of more than
2,300 physicians and specialists.
Dr. Agwunobi has been the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including
Administrator of the Year, Public Health Hero Citation, and Honorary Doctorate
of Humane Letters. He was also appointed as Chair of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention Advisory Committee, the Board of Directors of the
National Quality Forum-an advisory group formed at the recommendation
of the President's Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality
in the Health Care Industry, and the Board of Directors of the Scripps
Florida Funding Corporation-a non-profit corporation created to facilitate
the establishment and operation of a biomedical research institution in
Florida.
Born in Dundee, Scotland, Dr. Agwunobi attended medical school at the
University of Jos, Nigeria, where his father-a British-trained physician-was
a professor of surgery. In addition to his father, Dr. Agwunobi credits
his grandfather, Dr. John Shaw, for much of his passion for serving people
with illness. His grandfather continued to care for his patients as a
family practitioner despite going blind as a result of diabetes in the
prime of his career.
As a pediatrician, Dr. Agwunobi practiced in rural, inner city and suburban
communities, where he dedicated his practice to working with underserved
populations. In addition to his medical degree, Dr. Agwunobi holds a Master
of Business Administration degree from Georgetown University in Washington,
DC, and a Master of Public Health degree from the Johns Hopkins School
of Public Health in Baltimore, MD. Dr. Agwunobi is also a certified managed
care executive.
Dr. Agwunobi has a passion for leadership and innovation and sees his
role of Secretary of Health as one of team building, public service, and
quality improvement of the public health care system.
(Letter of Invitation
- 788KB PDF)
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