WHO-AFRO Chief Dr. Ihekweazu Visits Nigeria to Strengthen Health Reforms

Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, the WHO’s acting regional director for Africa, emphasized Nigeria’s importance during his first official visit. He pledged support for strengthening healthcare, tackling disease outbreaks, and eradicating polio. Ihekweazu underscored the need for reforms and better health financing in Africa, particularly in response to ongoing health challenges and surveillance efforts.

During his inaugural visit to Nigeria on Friday, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, the acting regional director for Africa at the World Health Organization (WHO), reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to enhancing Nigeria’s healthcare system, addressing disease outbreaks, and eradicating polio. Ihekweazu emphasized Nigeria’s significant role in WHO’s efforts across the continent, following his recent appointment after Dr. Matshidiso Moeti’s decade-long tenure. Notably, his predecessor, Dr. Faustine Engelbert Ndugulile, sadly passed away shortly after his election, leading to Ihekweazu stepping in for this vital role.

Before joining WHO in 2021, Dr. Ihekweazu played a pivotal role as the inaugural director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. He successfully established the organization and navigated Nigeria through the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. In his current position, he noted that Nigeria boasts the largest WHO office in Africa, underscoring the need for his visit to grasp ongoing support for the Federal Government.

Ihekweazu praised Nigeria’s proactive health reforms and the leadership of the Minister of Health. His remarks highlighted WHO’s role in offering strategic and technical assistance that aligns with Nigeria’s national healthcare priorities. He addressed the resurgence of variant type 2 poliovirus in several states in Nigeria, underscoring the urgent need for vigilance and a coordinated response.

He stated, “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,” reflecting on current health challenges. The WHO is collaborating with various governmental health bodies to implement an effective vaccination campaign and enhance surveillance methods to curb this transmission.

Dr. Ihekweazu also acknowledged broader difficulties facing healthcare systems in Africa, such as workforce shortages and inadequate infrastructure. He stressed the urgent requirement for reforms to assure sustainable healthcare delivery across the continent, saying, “No doubt, we face several challenges in Africa… but we also possess incredible expertise.”

He raised concerns about integrating healthcare graduates from educational institutions into the public sector, which he deemed critical for improving health service delivery. He also commended Nigeria’s ongoing health financing reforms aimed at revitalizing primary healthcare via the government’s SWAP initiative. According to him, “Nigeria is making commendable progress in reforming its health sector, from financing to service delivery.”

Ihekweazu highlighted the necessity of robust disease surveillance and response mechanisms, especially in light of recent outbreak situations. Discussing an unidentified disease outbreak in the DRC, he reassured that WHO was already mobilizing resources to combat it while providing technical support. He underscored that health threats transcend borders, stating, “This demonstrates that health threats do not recognize borders,” and emphasized the importance of fortified immunization programs worldwide.

Moreover, he pointed out the declining donor funding for health and called for greater fiscal ownership by African governments to enhance healthcare financing. Emphasizing WHO’s mission, he said that it is dedicated to helping countries establish sustainable health systems backed by reliable domestic funding mechanisms. Science Nigeria reported that Dr. Ihekweazu’s visit signifies WHO’s ongoing partnership with Nigeria, reinforcing public health responses and health system improvement efforts.

Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu’s recent visit to Nigeria reflects the WHO’s ongoing commitment to bolstering health system reforms and polio eradication. His insights highlight the urgent need for improved surveillance, workforce integration, and innovative health financing solutions across Africa. By collaborating with the Nigerian government and health agencies, WHO aims to confront immediate health challenges and fortify the national healthcare infrastructure for sustainable progress.

Original Source: sciencenigeria.com