Nigeria, Feb. 5 -- Chikwe Ihekweazu, the founding director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), has been appointed as the Acting Regional Director of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for Africa.

WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus made the announcement Tuesday at the ongoing 156th session of the WHO executive board in Geneva, Switzerland.

Mr Ghebreyesus said he is confident that the African region of the global organisation is in "capable hands" for the next four months.

He stated that Mr Ihekweazu would serve in this capacity until a new regional director is nominated and formally appointed by the WHO Executive Board following the World Health Assembly.

Mr Ihekweazu, a Nigerian epidemiologis...