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1994.02.10 : Appointment of HRSA Administrator

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE              Contacts:  Public Health Service
Thursday, Feb. 10, 1994                       Sylvia Shaffer (HRSA)
                                              Patricia Campbell
                                              (301) 443-3376

     President Clinton has named Ciro V. Sumaya, M.D., M.P.H.T.M.,
a nationally recognized medical leader, to become administrator of
the Health Resources and Services Administration, a U.S. Public
Health Service agency within HHS.

     With a $3 billion budget, the second highest of the eight PHS
agencies, HRSA has a major role in health care reform, as it works
to ensure the support and delivery of primary health care services
to the underserved and the development of qualified primary care
professionals to meet the health needs of the nation.

     HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala said, "Throughout his career,
Dr. Sumaya has devoted himself to a broad spectrum of health
issues, including health care access and delivery, health promotion
and disease prevention, and minority and women's health.  This, as
well as his experience in medical research, teaching and patient
care make him uniquely suited to the job of HRSA administrator, and
we are extremely pleased that he has accepted the post."  

     Among its many programs, HRSA supports a network of more than
600 community and migrant health centers, provides primary care
physicians and other health care providers through the National
Health Service Corps; administers the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS
Resources Emergency Act, which provides critical health care
services to low-income HIV/AIDS patients; and oversees national
maternal and child health activities through maternal and child
health block grants to the states.

     Dr. Sumaya served in 1993 as group leader of the Health Care
Workforce workgroup of the Presidential Task Force on Health Care
Reform, and was associate dean for affiliated programs and
continuing medical education and professor of pediatrics and
pathology at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San
Antonio.

     His accomplishments at the university include expanding
continuing medical education programs for health professionals and
developing and directing the federally funded Area Health Education
Center of South Texas, a comprehensive project to improve the
health workforce capacity of this impoverished region of the
country.

     Dr. Sumaya was also instrumental in the establishment of the
South Texas Health Research Center, a multimillion dollar
institution that is monitoring and evaluating the long-term health
status and needs of South Texans.

     A native of Brownsville, Texas, Dr. Sumaya, who is Hispanic,
was valedictorian of his graduating class at Brownsville High
School, Brownsville, in 1959. He received a B.A. with High Honors
from the University of Texas, Austin, in 1963, where he was also
Phi Beta Kappa, and his M.D. in 1966 from the University of Texas
Medical Branch, Galveston.

     A specialist in pediatric infectious diseases, Dr. Sumaya
completed his residency in pediatrics at St. Christopher's Hospital
for Children, Philadelphia, Pa., from 1969-1971.  In 1973, he
completed a fellowship in pediatric infectious diseases and
received a master's degree in public health and tropical medicine
from Tulane University School of Public Health, New Orleans, La.

     Dr. Sumaya held academic positions at the UCLA School of
Medicine, Los Angeles, Calif., from 1973-1976. In 1976, he moved to
the University of Texas Health Science Center.

     A noted researcher and writer in the areas of pediatric viral
infections and health care for underserved populations, he has
published more than 100 professional journal articles and book
chapters and has lectured extensively.  Dr. Sumaya's research has
been supported by more than $2 million in research grants and
contracts from a variety of federal and private organizations.

     As an executive committee member of the Surgeon General's
National Hispanic Health Initiative and one of the six Founding
Scholars in Academic Administration and Health Policy of the
Association of Academic Health Centers, Dr. Sumaya has helped shape
national health policy with an emphasis on medically underserved
populations.