Yesterday, I had the honour of leading a courtesy visit to the @WHONigeria Country Office, Abuja, accompanied by the Directors and Senior Team of the @WellbeingAfrica Foundation, to formally extend our deepest appreciation and valediction to Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo @WMulombo, as he concludes his distinguished tenure as WHO Representative and Head of Mission in Nigeria.
Throughout his stewardship, Dr Mulombo has demonstrated a commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s health system architecture, advancing Universal Health Coverage, and reinforcing primary healthcare delivery through initiatives such as the "Adopt-A-Healthcare Facility Programme" #ADHFP. His strategic leadership has galvanised multisectoral efforts, particularly in the integration of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene #WASH as a foundational component of resilient healthcare provision, and #WalkTheTalk to #BeatNCDs, areas of mutual priority and long-standing collaboration between the @WHO and #WBFA.
In my capacity as a member of the @WHO_Africa Regional Office’s Independent Advisory Group and Special Adviser to the WHO Africa Region, I have had the privilege of engaging closely with Dr Mulombo on regional and national priorities, and his steadfast support for evidence-based, community-led approaches, such as the WBFA #Mamacare360 Antenatal and Postnatal Education Programme, has ensured that maternal, newborn and child health remains central to Nigeria’s public health agenda.
As he transitions to his next chapter, we acknowledge with profound gratitude Dr Mulombo’s leadership, diplomatic acumen, and principled advocacy for health equity. His tenure has not only advanced the WHO’s mandate in Nigeria but has also laid a durable foundation upon which future progress can be built.
#GlobalHealthLeadership
#WellbeingForAll
Strengthening and Utilizing Response Groups for emergencies, the @WHOAFRO@AfricaCDC#AVoHC - #SURGE Flagship Initiative gets to the next level with the donation of 8 utility vehicles to the Federal Capital Territory Administration in Abuja today. This donation is part of @WHO efforts to build and strengthen capacities of first line responders. Coordinated through @NCDCgov in collaboration with the Directorate of Public Health @Fmohnigeria the initiative trained over 300 responders, establishing multidisciplinary response teams capable of being deployed within 24 hours of confirmation of a health emergency. The FCTA have since engaged these teams in responses to a number of outbreaks, including diphtheria outbreak, with FCT being the only constituency to have crashed the outbreak from its source and curtailed its spread. We are grateful to Dr Idris Jide, Director General @NCDCgov for gracing the event. We applaud the leadership of @drdolapofasawe Mandate Secretary Health & Environment FCTA @DrTedros@Chikwe_I@NphcdaNG@nhia_nigeria@UN_Nigeria