Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, November xx 2016 - The Governing Board of the Africa Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is pleased to announce that Dr. John Nkengasong, PhD, MSc, a seasoned virologist, has been named as the first Director of the Africa CDC effective January 1, 2017.

Dr. Nkengasong brings a wealth of public and global health experience to his new role. He currently serves as the Acting Deputy Principal Director for the Center for Global Health (CGH) at the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, GA. He joined CDC more than 20 years ago and has directed the laboratory programs for the Division of Global HIV and TB, and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to support diverse programs in partner’s countries in several countries in Africa, South East Asia, Central America, and the Caribbean.

“The Africa CDC offers a monumental opportunity to strengthen public health capacity on the continent to respond to the threats we face. The institution will provide strategic direction and promote public health practices within Member States through capacity building, promotion of continuous quality improvement in the delivery of public health services as well in the prevention of public health emergencies and threats”, said Professor Isaac Adewole, Minister of Health of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who serves as the vice chair of the Governing Board.

The Board of Directors conducted an international search in 2016, which generated several candidates “After an extensive interview process with a number of highly qualified candidates, the Board stood unanimously behind Nkengasong. His experience, expansive knowledge in public health in Africa, and vision for the future made him the ideal choice as the pioneer director of Africa CDC” said Ambassador Olawale I. Maiyegun, Director of the Department of Social Affairs at the African Union Commission.

“I am honored and humbled to have been selected to serve as the pioneer Director of this new public health institution in Africa. One major lesson learned from the recent Ebola virus disease outbreak is that diseases are a security, economic, and health threat to Africa.  The Africa CDC therefore offers a unique possibility to enhance the continent’s capacity to detect and rapidly respond to these threats in order to make Africa secure and safe” said Dr. Nkengasong.

Dr Nkengasong has received numerous awards for his work including, but not limited to, the US Secretary of Health and Human Services Award for Excellence in Public Health Protection Research, and the William Watson Medal of Excellence; the highest recognition awarded by the United States CDC, awarded for outstanding contributions and leadership in advancing global laboratory medicine to support the PEPFAR program. He is also the recipient of the National Order of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, knighted for his outstanding work in public health in that country. He has authored/co-authored 180 peer-review journal articles and book chapters.

Dr. Nkengasong holds a Master of Tropical Biomedical Science from the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, a Master of Medical and Pharmaceutical Research and a PhD in Medical Sciences with specialization in Virology from the University of Brussels School of Medicine, Belgium. He also holds a certificate in management and leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

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About Africa CDC

The Africa CDC is a specialized technical Institution of the Africa Union that provides strategic direction and promotes public health practice within Member States.

The Africa CDC shall pursue the following strategic objectives:

·         Establishment of early warning and response surveillance platforms to address in a timely and effective manner all health emergencies;

·         Support public health emergency preparedness and response;

·         Assist Member States in collaboration with WHO and others stakeholders to address gaps in International Health Regulations compliance;

·         Support and/or conduct regional- and country-level hazard mapping and risk assessments for Member States;

·         Support Member States in health emergencies response particularly those which have been declared public health emergency of international concern emergencies as well as promotion and diseases prevention through health systems strengthening, by addressing communicable and non-communicable diseases, environmental health and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs); and promoting partnership and collaboration among Member States to address emerging and endemic diseases and public health emergencies. 

Directorate of Information and Communication 

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Addis Ababa | Ethiopia