Ihekweazu Goes to Berlin

One of the understated ladders to success in professional life in this increasingly competitive world is allowing one’s work to speak for them. And because of that, I have always known that at some point, a global institution would tap from the expertise and strength of character of the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu. Incidentally, I told him so in a lighter mood chat in 2019 at Kotoka International Aiprort, Accra, Ghana, shortly before he was reappointed for a second term. Now that the moment has come, I have mixed emotions over his appointment as the Assistant Director General of Health Emergency Intelligence at the World Health Organisation (WHO). While I am happy that the global health institution recognized and is rewarding his talent, I am also quite aware that this is a huge loss for our country. By every standard, Ihekweazu has been one of the brightest stars of the Nigerian public space in the past five years. It is my hope that in the two months that he has left before resuming at WHO, President Muhammadu Buhari who appointed him will find a similar replacement at the NCDC.

Meanwhile, the infectious disease epidemiologist, according to the WHO Director General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, will “lead the work on strengthening pandemic and epidemic intelligence globally, including heading the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin.” Ihekweazu will be at home not only because he was born in Germany but also because he has in recent years led several short-term assignments for WHO, including being a member of the WHO-China Joint Mission on COVID-19. At home, he has helped to make the NCDC more alive to its responsibilities. It is indeed to his credit and that of others that Nigeria has managed the pandemic better than most countries despite our glaring shortcomings. As he therefore goes to Berlin, I wish Ihekweazu all the best in his new assignment.