BREAKING NEWS:
SCOTLAND Born NIGERIAN-AMERICAN, JOHN AGWUNOBI a Leading Pediatrician, Served as America’s 12th Assistant Secretary for Health…Worked in United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, a uniformed service held the rank of a four-star admiral
*Performed in disease prevention, health promotion, reduction of health disparities, fight against HIV/AIDS, pandemic influenza planning and vaccine-preventable disease
*Served as former Senior Vice President of Walmart Stores, Inc.,President of the retailer’s $30 billion Health and Wellness, Chair of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee to the Director, on 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
* Vice Chair of the U.S. African Development Foundation, Board Advisor to Shopko, a Specialty Retail Stores Holding Corp. in Green Bay, Wisconsin; Board Director for Magellan Health Services Inc. of Scottsdale, Arizona; and Member “Future” Panel of Leavitt Partners LLC, in Salt Lake City, Utah
*AWARDS: Public Administrator of the Year, APHA Public Health Hero Citation, and Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. He served as
* Reigns as Florida’s Secretary of Health under Governor Jeb Bush from 2000 to 2005
BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/FOREIGN BUREAU CHIEF, UNITED STATES
HE IS THE PRIDE OF NIGERIA, UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN. His name is John Agwunobi, MD, MBA, MPH, a highly trained Pediatrician and Public health authority. Everything that relates to best health care, disease prevention and living quality lives are directly under his areas of strength.
This great Nigerian American health icon had been a former United States government official, remains a very successful business executive. Agwunobi’s experience includes clinical care, managed care, healthy policy, state and federal public health, retail pharmacy operations and optical service delivery. He was formerly Senior Vice President of Walmart Stores, Inc. and President of the retailer’s $30 billion Health and Wellness business from 2007 to 2014. At Walmart, Agwunobi was responsible for a chain of 4,000 retail, specialty and mail order pharmacies; more than 2,500 vision centers and 100 in-store convenient care clinics; and a pharmacy benefits management unit.
Though born in Dundee, Scotland to a Nigerian father—a British-trained physician—and Scottish mother, this highly celebrated and intelligent officer never lose sight of his aspiration during his childhood into adulthood.
As a teen, Agwunobi’s family moved to Nigeria, where he attended high school and university. He received his medical training at the University of Jos, where his father was a professor of medicine.
Agwunobi’s enviable career is full inspiration to Nigerians, Americans and every other Africans that once we set our eyes on our dreams, it will certainly come through. For the records, prior to his service in the America’s federal government, Agwunobi served as Florida’s Secretary of Health under Governor Jeb Bush from 2000 to 2005. He led Florida’s public health response to four major hurricanes that struck the state in 2004. Always thinking outside the box, he led the Department’s response to the nation’s first anthrax attack, subsequently guiding the state’s nationally recognized efforts to prepare for, prevent and mitigate the effects of a bioterrorism attack.
As part of his accompalishments, Agwunobi served as the 12th Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH) from December 17, 2005 to September 4, 2007. During his term as the ASH, he was a member of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, a uniformed service, and held the rank of four-star admiral. He had the following responsibilities then which included: disease prevention, health promotion, the reduction of health disparities, the fight against HIV/AIDS, pandemic influenza planning and vaccine-preventable disease.
Agwunobi directly oversaw the Office of the United States Surgeon General, Centers for Disease Control, National Institutes of Health, the FDA, HRSA, Indian Health Service, Office of Minority Health, as well as numerous other Public Health offices and programs. He also served as the U.S. representative on the World Health Organization executive board.
For his meritorious service to America, Agwunobi serves as Vice Chair of the U.S. African Development Foundation, a federal agency dedicated to fighting poverty in marginalized populations on the African continent. He is a Board Advisor to Shopko, a Specialty Retail Stores Holding Corp. in Green Bay, Wisconsin; Board Director for Magellan Health Services Inc.[5] of Scottsdale, Arizona; and Member “Future” Panel of Leavitt Partners LLC, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Regarding his education, Agwunobi possess a Master’s degree in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, a Master in Business Administration from Georgetown University, and a certification as a Managed Care Executive from the American Association of Health Plans (AAHP). He completed his pediatric residency at Howard University Hospital in Washington, DC, rotating between Children’s National Medical Center and the District of Columbia General Hospital.
Agwunobi has received honors and awards including Public Administrator of the Year, APHA Public Health Hero Citation, Public Health Service Regular Corps Ribbon and Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. He served as Chair of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee to the Director, and on 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.
