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Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson,
Minister of Health
Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson was appointed Minister of Health on January 6, 2012.
Dr. Ferguson has a long and distinguished record in Government. Prior to his Cabinet appointment, he served in three other Ministries starting in 1995 when he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education Youth and Culture; a position he held for three years. He was also Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture from 1998-2002, Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport and Works from 2002-2006, and Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport, Housing, Works and Water from 2006-2007.
He was born in the parish of St. Andrew on June 18, 1951. He studied at the Howard University in Washington D.C. where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree (B.Sc.) in Chemistry in 1974 and a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) in 1978. He made the Dean’s Honour Roll for three consecutive years from 1971-1973.
Dr. Ferguson has been a dental practitioner in both the public and private sectors. He served the Ministry of Health in the capacity of dental surgeon in charge of the parish of St. Thomas for fifteen years, ending his tenure in 1993. Over the years he received several awards for distinguished service from organizations such as Jaycees of Jamaica and Lions Club of Portmore and Spanish Town. In 1989, the Ministry of Health awarded him Dental Surgeon of the year. In that same year, he also received Dental Auxiliaries of St. Thomas Award. He started his private practice in 1979.
Dr. Ferguson has held several key positions in the People’s National Party including Vice President of the Party, Past Member of the Internal Affairs Commission and Officer of the National Executive of the Party and Past Vice Chairman and Treasurer of Eastern St. Thomas constituency. He is the longest serving Member of Parliament for PNP and was instrumental in the rebuilding of the PNP Youth Organization in 1996.
He has been the Member of Parliament for Eastern St. Thomas since 1993.
Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, Minister of Health |
Dr. Jean Dixon has been engaged for over eleven (11) years with the Government of Jamaica in various positions. She was recently appointed as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health with responsibility for the management of the Ministry’s operations as its chief technical and administrative officer as well as oversight responsibility for its agencies and departments.