Acting regional director for Africa at the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system, tackling disease outbreaks and eradicating polio.
During his first official visit to Nigeria on Friday in Abuja since assuming office, Ihekweazu underscored the country’s strategic importance to WHO’s work in Africa.
Science Nigeria reports that WHO’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has appointed Ihekweazu as the organisation’s acting regional director for Africa, succeeding Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, who led the regional office for 10 years.
This appointment follows the unexpected death of Dr Faustine Engelbert Ndugulile, a career politician from Tanzania, who was set to become the next regional director.
Ndugulile passed away in November, only three months after his election.
Ihekweazu, a Nigerian, serves as the assistant director-general for the division of health emergency intelligence and surveillance systems in WHO’s emergencies programme. He joined WHO in 2021.
Before that, he was the inaugural director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, where he was instrumental in building the institution from the ground up and guiding the country through the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to him, Nigeria is the largest country office, with the most extensive health programme on the continent.
“That’s why I made it a priority to visit in my second week in office, to gain a better understanding of the work we are doing here in support of the Federal Government,” he said.
He praised Nigeria’s proactive approach to health reforms and commended the Minister of Health’s leadership, noting that WHO’s role is to provide technical and strategic support in alignment with national health priorities.
Addressing the recent resurgence of variant type 2 poliovirus in Nigeria, the acting WHO regional director emphasised the need for heightened vigilance and a coordinated response.
“Polio has posed a challenge for us in Nigeria. We worked diligently to eliminate wild poliovirus, but today we still have variant type 2 polio circulating in a few states in the northwest,” he said.
He disclosed that WHO is collaborating closely with the Ministry of Health, state governments, and health agencies to ensure a robust vaccination campaign and effective surveillance strategies to halt transmission.
“Our role is to mobilise ourselves once again to ensure we stay ahead of this. The resilience of the Nigerian health system is remarkable, and we are confident that with strong coordination, we can eliminate this threat,” he assured.
He also addressed broader health system challenges in Africa, particularly workforce shortages and inadequate infrastructure.
He stressed the urgent need for reforms to secure sustainable healthcare delivery across the continent.
“No doubt, we face several challenges in Africa, including infectious diseases, chronic conditions, and workforce shortages, but we also possess incredible expertise and a youthful, vibrant population,” he noted.
He pointed out that while many African countries, including Nigeria, are producing healthcare graduates, the challenge remains their integration into the public sector.
“The key question is: how does the public sector incorporate these trained professionals into the health system to serve our people?
“This is precisely where WHO plays a role in supporting governments in designing sustainable workforce retention strategies,” he explained.
He also acknowledged Nigeria’s health financing reforms, regulatory improvements and primary healthcare revitalisation efforts under the government’s SWAP (Sector-Wide Approach) initiative.
“Nigeria is making commendable progress in reforming its health sector, from financing to service delivery.
“WHO will continue to support these reforms to establish a more resilient health system,” he said.
In response to recent disease outbreaks in Africa and beyond, the acting WHO regional director highlighted the necessity for stronger surveillance and response mechanisms.
Regarding the unknown disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), he assured that WHO was already on the ground, providing technical and operational support.
“Every country faces health threats. That is why institutions like Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) exist – to detect and respond promptly. WHO is supporting DRC just as we have done in Uganda, Tanzania and other affected countries,” he stated.
He further referenced the measles outbreak in Texas, USA, stressing that it underscores the interconnected nature of global health and the need for robust vaccination programmes worldwide.
“Who would have thought that measles would cause a major outbreak in the US today? This demonstrates that health threats do not recognise borders.
“We must continue to fortify immunisation programmes and surveillance systems,” he emphasised.
He also acknowledged the global decline in donor funding for health programmes and urged African governments to take greater ownership of healthcare financing.
“There is a global financing challenge, and many of our traditional donors are struggling to maintain support. This presents an opportunity for African governments to step up and take full responsibility for the health of their people,” he advised.
He underscored that WHO, as a member-state-driven organisation, is committed to ensuring that countries build sustainable health systems supported by strong domestic funding mechanisms.
Science Nigeria reports that the visit by the acting WHO regional director highlights the organisation’s ongoing partnership with Nigeria as the country navigates public health challenges, strengthens disease preparedness, and improves healthcare access.
WHO’s renewed commitment to polio eradication, health system reforms, and disease surveillance is expected to bolster Nigeria’s efforts in addressing both immediate and long-term health challenges.
