The founding Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, has been appointed as the Acting Regional Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) for Africa.
The Nigerian epidemiologist and public health physician will continue as acting director until May, when a new Regional Director for Africa will be elected, according to WHO.
Ihekweazu’s appointment was announced by the WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus on Tuesday at the ongoing 156th session of the WHO executive board in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Nigerian replaces Botswana’s Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, who led the regional office for 10 years, and is the first woman to be elected as WHO Regional Director for Africa.
“I am confident that the Region is in very capable hands,” Ghebreyesus said in a post on X.
“Dr. Chikwe joined WHO in 2021 and is currently Assistant Director General and Deputy Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme in Geneva. Prior to joining WHO, he was the first Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.”
In a post on X, Ihekweazu said “It is an honour and privilege to serve our continent.”
“Grateful for the trust of our DG (WHO Director-General) and deeply honoured to take on the role of Acting WHO Regional Director @WHOAFRO until May,” he stated.
As Director-General of the NCDC between 2016 to 2021, Ihekweazu was instrumental in building the institution from the ground up and helping Nigeria successfully tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. He captured this experience in his recently published book, “An Imperfect Storm: A Pandemic and the Coming of Age of a Nigerian Institution,” which he co-authored with his wife, Vivianne.
