Chike Ihekweazu, former director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has been appointed as the acting regional director of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa till May.
His appointment comes two months after Faustine Ndugulile, the regional director-elect died while receiving medical treatment in India.
Ndugulile was elected as the WHO’s African director in August and was set to start his new role in February 2025, following Matshidiso Moeti who has served in the role for two terms.
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Ihekweazu is expected to fill that position till a new leader is nominated and elected.
The significant appointment places a prominent Nigerian in global health at the helm of the WHO’s efforts on the continent, bringing valuable experience and expertise to the organization’s mission to improve public health outcomes across Africa.
In an acceptance post, Ihekweazu stated: “Grateful for the trust of our DG @DrTedros and deeply honoured to take on the role of Acting @WHO Regional Director @WHOAFRO until May. It is an honour and privilege to serve our continent”.
Before this appointment, Ihekweazu served as the assistant director-general for the Division of Health Emergency Intelligence and Surveillance Systems in the Emergencies Programme.
As part of his portfolio, He led the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, bringing together partners to address future pandemic and epidemic risks with better access to data, analytical capacities, and tools for decision-making.
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Prior to joining WHO, Ihekweazu was the first Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) from 2016 to 2021.
He holds a medical degree, with specialization as an infectious disease epidemiologist, and a master’s degree in public health.
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