By Metohuey Michael Adoglo
Nigerian, Dr. Ayoade Alakija has been appointed by The World Health Organization, as the global health agency’s Special Envoy for the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator.
WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, announced the appointment in a statement on Thursday, December 16th.
Alakija, a medical doctor with a Masters degree from The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in Public Health and Epidemiology, was formerly a Chief Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria.
While based in Fiji, she worked closely with the WHO and UNICEF to design, coordinate, and implement National Health and Behavioural Surveys across the Pacific region.
Alakija joins former Prime Minister of Sweden Carl Bildt, WHO’s current Special Envoy for ACT-A, in this role.
In her capacity as Special Envoy, Alakija will help lead the collective advocacy for the ACT-Accelerator, mobilizing support and resources so it can deliver against its new Strategic Plan and Budget that was launched on 28 October 2021, and ensuring that the response is characterized by accountability, inclusion, and solidarity,” the statement said.
Ghebreyesus also said she will support the leaders of the ACT-Accelerator’s three product pillars including vaccines, tests, treatments and cross-cutting ‘connector’; consult widely on the work of the ACT-Accelerator; advise the Director-General, ACT-Accelerator principals and stakeholders on emerging issues; and represent the ACT-Accelerator in key national and international forums.