President Muhammadu Buhari has recently approved the appointment of new directors for five strategic health institutions in the country. The institutions affected by the restructuring agenda are the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA), Nigerian Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCD), and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
According to a statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Bolaji Adebiyi, the new head of the Centre for Disease Control is the Managing Partner of EpiAfric, a public health consultancy firm that focuses on Africa, Dr. Chikwe Andreas Ihekweazu. He takes over from Prof. Abdulsalami Nasidi.
Dr. Sani Aliyu, a consultant in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at Cambridge University, U.K. is the new head of the NACA. He takes over from Prof. John Idoko.
The President also appointed Prof. Babatunde Salako as the head of the NIMR. He was the Provost, College of Medicine at the University of Ibadan before his new appointment. He takes over from Prof. Innocent Ujah.
A professor of Paediatrics and Public Health at the University of Nevada, in the United States, Prof. Echezona Ezeanolue was appointed the new Executive Director of the NPHCD. He replaced Doctor Mohammed Ado.
The NHIS is now headed by Prof. Usman Yusuf, who until his appointment was a professor of Paediatrics at St. Jude Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee in the United States. He replaced Mr Olufemi Akingbade, who was in acting capacity.
All appointments, according to the statement, takes immediate effect.
