The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has congratulated renowned Nigerian epidemiologist Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu on his appointment as the Executive Director of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Health Emergencies Programme.
Ihekweazu, who previously served as the founding Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), will succeed Irish epidemiologist Mike Ryan in one of WHO’s most critical roles overseeing global responses to health emergencies.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, hailed the appointment as “the right choice at the right time.”
He emphasized that Ihekweazu’s leadership comes at a pivotal moment, with the world grappling with numerous public health challenges, including pandemics, climate-related health crises, and increasingly fragile health systems.
Professor Pate, a public health expert himself, commended Ihekweazu for his outstanding leadership and unwavering dedication, expressing strong confidence in his ability to excel in the new global role.
