Ihekweazu’s WHO appointment excites Gov. Uzodimma

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has lauded the appointment of Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, the Director General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), as the Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) in charge of Health Emergency Intelligence as most fitting.

The Governor said he was not surprised over Dr. Ihekweazu’s appointment because he demonstrated capacity and exhibited professional competence as DG of NCDC.

The WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedios, on Tuesday announced that Dr. Ihekweazu will, effective November 1, 2021, work as Assistant Director-General of the WHO in charge of Health Emergency Intelligence, including leading the global health organization’s Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin.

A statement by Oguwike Nwachuku, Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to Governor Hope Uzodimma, Wednesday, said Dr. Ihekweazu is one of Imo State’s best and brightest and that the state is proud to be part of the human capital contributing towards the wellbeing of the global family.

Governor Hope Uzodimma reiterated that Dr. Ihekweazu’s pick is fundamental because it will help to further bring Imo State into global focus, particularly Amaigbo in Nwangele Local Government Area of the State where the NCDC DG hails from.

The governor therefore urged Dr. Ihekweazu to continue to do the state proud the way he knows how best, assuring him of the support of the government and good people of Imo State to ensure that his outing at the WHO is exemplary.

Dr. Ihekweazu, a graduate of the College of Medicine University of Nigeria with a Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) from the Heinrich-Heine University Dusseldorf, Germany, was appointed DG of NCDC by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016.

He was at a time Acting Director of the West Africa Regional Centre for Disease Control and is widely published in medical peer-review journals.