Former Nigerian Finance Minister Appointed Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Reappointed Chair Bill Gates Health Initiative, Gavi

Former Nigerian Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been reappointed the Chairman of Gavi, a global health initiative of a billionaire, Bill & Melinda Gates, set up with the aim of saving children’s lives and protecting people’s health by increasing equitable use of vaccines in third worlds and developing countries. She was reappointed for another 3-year term.

Announcing her re-appointment, the organization in a statement posted on its website, said Okonjo-Iweala's leadership qualities have helped further its engagements in developing countries. The statement in part reads

"Since her appointment in 2016, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s leadership has enabled the Alliance to further its engagement with developing countries and for partners to scale-up and finance immunization programs, while fostering public-private initiatives to improve access to healthcare for those most in need. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala has also been an instrumental advocate for the positive economic benefits of vaccination.

The direction she has provided to the Gavi Board has been critical in the implementation of the Gavi 2016-2020 strategy, which aims to support the vaccination of a further 300 million children against life-threatening diseases, preventing 5 to 6 million deaths".

In her reacting to the re-appointment, the former Minister said “I am greatly honoured by the confidence the Gavi Alliance Board has placed in me and as Chair of the Board I am excited to be given the opportunity to continue to dedicate my work to that greatest purpose of protecting the lives of millions of the poorest children in the world with life-saving vaccines. Universal access to immunization will play a fundamental role in bringing about healthy, resilient populations and in ensuring that we develop stronger economies as we face the challenges of the next century.” With Lib