Chike Ihekweazu, former director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), officially took office as the acting regional director of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa on Tuesday.
He is expected to hold the office till May when a new leader will be nominated and elected.
“Reported for duty in Brazzaville and started my week meeting a determined team of colleagues at @WHOAFRO,” he stated in an X post.
“Despite the headwinds, we will push hard every day for the next few months on our shared vision for a healthier, more resilient Africa.”
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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 for two terms.
The 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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Before 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, specializing as an infectious disease epidemiologist, and a master’s degree in public health.
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