President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Dr. Ifedayo Morayo Adetifa, as the new Director General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Adetifa replaces Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, who has been appointed to head the World Health Organization (WHO)’s newly-inaugurated Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence based in Berlin, Germany.

Until his appointment Adetifa was an Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Adetifa had his medical degree at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State. He was later trained in Paediatrics and Child Health at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and got the Fellowship of the West Africa College of Physicians in Paediatrics in 2005.

He studied Epidemiology at the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, where he bagged his MSC and PhD.

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti has described appointment of Adetifa as the best choice for the strategic position.

In a statement on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti by Mr. Yinka Oyebode, the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Fayemi described Adetifa as a thoroughbred, who would bring his wealth of experience and integrity to bear on the job.

Fayemi urged the new NCDC boss to justify the confidence reposed in him by the President, by improving on the excellent track records of his predecessor.