Dr Jean Kaseya of the Democratic Republic of Congo is the first director general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The DG will also be responsible for the formulation and implementation of substantive work programs for the Regional Collaborating Centers and ensure that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion,” said the African Union in a statement following his approval by African heads of state in Addis Ababa during the African Union summit.
Dr Kaseya will also oversee the delivery of the organization’s core functions and critical objectives per its statute.
Dr Kaseya’s prior roles include nine years with UNICEF, two years with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and work with the World Health Organization and the DRC government, including as chief routine immunization officer and senior adviser to the president.
He recently worked with the Clinton Health Access Initiative, where he served as senior country director for the DRC and global team lead for work on the African Health Diagnostics Platform with the European Investment Bank.
Congratulations to Dr Jean Kaseya on his appointment as the new Director of @AfricaCDC. His years of experience working in international development and health will support the continued growth of @AfricaCDC. I look forward to strengthening our partnership.
— Dr Matshidiso Moeti (@MoetiTshidi) February 18, 2023
Africa CDC is a specialized technical institution of the African Union established to support public health initiatives of Member States and strengthen the capacity of their public health institutions to detect, prevent, control and respond quickly and effectively to disease threats.
