Perry Gomez
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Michael Perry Gomez (18 January 1947 – 21 October 2023) was a Bahamian politician, who served as
Minister of Health A health minister is the member of a country's government typically responsible for protecting and promoting public health and providing welfare spending and other social security services. Some governments have separate ministers for mental heal ...
and as member for North Andros and Berry Islands in the
House of Assembly of the Bahamas The Parliament of The Bahamas is the bicameral national parliament of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. The parliament is formally made up of the sovereign (represented by the governor-general), an appointed Senate, and an elected House of Asse ...
."Nation's Health In Dr Gomez' Hands"
''Nassau Tribune'', 15 May 2012.
First elected to the legislature in the 2012 election after defeating Education Minister Desmond Bannister by a margin of 24 votes, he was appointed by Prime Minister
Perry Christie Perry Gladstone Christie PC, MP (born 21 August 1943) is a Bahamian former politician who served as prime minister of the Bahamas from 2002 to 2007 and from 2012 to 2017. He is the second longest-serving Bahamian elected parliamentarian (behin ...
to be Minister of Health.


Early life

Gomez was born on
New Providence New Providence is the most populous island in The Bahamas, containing more than 70% of the total population. On the eastern side of the island is the national capital, national capital city of Nassau, Bahamas, Nassau; it had a population of 246 ...
and graduated from the
University of the West Indies The University of the West Indies (UWI), originally University College of the West Indies, is a public university system established to serve the higher education needs of the residents of 18 English-speaking countries and territories in t ...
with a degree in medicine in 1971. He then attended medical school at
Wayne State University Wayne State University (WSU) is a public university, public research university in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1868, Wayne State consists of 13 schools and colleges offering approximately 375 programs. It is Michigan's third-l ...
where he specialized in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases."Perry Gomez"
''The Nassau Guardian'', 2012.


Career

Gomez was known globally for his work on HIV/AIDS research, being the founder and director of the National HIV Programme of the Bahamas. Under his direction, the Programme had a major impact on decreasing the spread of the disease. HIV transmission rates in the Bahamas declined by more than 30 percent and HIV transmission from mother-to-child also decreased dramatically. Seventy-two percent of all persons with advanced HIV receive requisite treatment and all persons with HIV and TB co-infection receive full treatment for both conditions.


Death

Perry Gomez died on 21 October 2023, at the age of 76.Former Health Minister Dr Perry Gomez has died at the age of 76
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Electoral history


References

1947 births 2023 deaths Health ministers of the Bahamas Progressive Liberal Party politicians Members of the House of Assembly of the Bahamas Wayne State University alumni People from New Providence {{Bahamas-politician-stub