Chikwe Ihekweazu, a renowned infectious disease epidemiologist, has been appointed as the acting regional director of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Africa.
This appointment was made on Tuesday at the ongoing 156th session of the WHO executive board in Geneva, Switzerland.
Ihekweazu, who previously served as the director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), will hold this position for the next four months.
According to Tedros Ghebreyesus, the WHO director-general, Africa is in “capable hands” under Ihekweazu’s leadership.
Ihekweazu takes over from Matshidiso Moeti, who has completed her term as regional director.
Moeti expressed her gratitude to the organization and its partners for their support during her tenure, highlighting the progress made in strengthening health systems and advancing universal health coverage in Africa.
Ihekweazu brings over 20 years of experience in senior public health and leadership positions, having worked with notable institutions such as the South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases, the UK’s Health Protection Agency, and Germany’s Robert Koch Institute.
In 2021, he was appointed as an assistant director-general of the WHO, overseeing health emergency intelligence.
