Who Is Obinna Onyekwena? Nigerian Doctor Appointed Deputy Director at Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

A Nigerian doctor, Obinna Onyekwena, has been appointed as the deputy director at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Onyekwena announced his appointment on social media Sunday, February 19th 2023.

He said his new role would see him overseeing HIV, Tuberculosis, Malaria and neglected tropical diseases for the program.

“Friends and colleagues, I’m thrilled to share that I will be joining the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as their new Deputy Director, Infectious Disease Advocacy, based in Seattle, Washington.

“In this new role I will be leading the advancement of the foundation’s HIV, TB, Malaria and NTD advocacy strategies in partnership with the Program Advocacy and Communications (PAC) team,” he wrote.

He added: “I am grateful for the incredible experience and strong friendships from my time at The Global Fund and the confidence bestowed on me by leadership at the Gates Foundation. I believe there is no better transition to make at this time than to a family working hard together to create a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life,”

Obinna’s new appointment has piqued interest in who he is and his career so far.

Who Is Dr Obinna Onyekwena?

Dr Obinna Onyekwena is a Nigerian doctor who was appointed as the Deputy Director for Infectious Disease Advocacy by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in February 2023.

Onyekwena is a 44-year-old Nigerian medical doctor with extensive experience supporting developing countries in tackling infectious diseases.

Prior to his appointment, he had an outstanding 10-year career at The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria where he supported the strengthening of national responses to three of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria – and managed investments that successfully scaled up innovation in delivery of HIV services across Africa and Asia. 

His resume notes that Dr Onyekwena has a track record of outstanding work and corporate awards, leading initiatives that have resulted in evidenced-based policy and impactful interventions, including designing, resourcing, and managing catalytic investments that have delivered outsized value or return on investment on outcomes for people living with HIV. 

He also purports to be grounded with deep understanding of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG3 and a subject matter expert with well-established relationships in the global health technical, policy and donor space, particularly related to HIV, TB, Malaria, and Sexual and Reproductive Health. 

Obinna served as the Associate Director in charge of Monitoring and Evaluation at FHI360 Nigeria earlier in his career, playing a major role in the advancement of national policies and scale-up of Nigeria’s HIV, TB and Malaria programmes and led studies to understudy systems for Maternal and Child Health in Northern Nigeria.

His new role at the Bill and Medical Gates Foundation entails leading the foundation’s strategies and portfolio of investments for increasing political commitment, resourcing, and implementation of HIV, Tuberculosis, Malaria, the Neglected Tropical Diseases and The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.  

Dr Obinna Onyekwena holds a medical degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and an MSc in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom. 

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), a merging of the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation,[6] is an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates.

The primary stated goals of the foundation are to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty across the world, and to expand educational opportunities and access to information technology in the U.S

Source: Nigeriabombshell.com

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