By Bassey Ita Ikpang
At the 2025 World Health Summit in Berlin, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization for Health Emergency Intelligence, emphasized the need for African leaders to prioritize building capacity and trust before the next health crisis. He Spoke Exclusively with Bassey Ita Ikpang in an exclusive interview.
“The reality of the continent we live in is that we are constantly faced with threats to population health — from infectious diseases to humanitarian crises and conflicts,” Dr. Ihekweazu said, highlighting the importance of preparedness.
National preparedness is key, requiring strong public health institutions to prevent, detect, and respond to threats. Dr. Ihekweazu stressed that every country needs to develop its own capacity to address health emergencies effectively.
Drawing from his experience leading the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr. Ihekweazu noted, “You cannot start building capacity in the middle of a crisis. You must build institutions, processes, and teams in advance.” Nigeria’s preparedness efforts, initiated in 2017, proved crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Ihekweazu praised countries like Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Sierra Leone, which have recently launched or strengthened their national public health agencies, describing them as important steps toward continental resilience.
The WHO emphasizes that every country needs a strong national public health agency dedicated to protecting its citizens. Dr. Ihekweazu added that Nigeria’s achievements during COVID-19 were the product of years of groundwork.
“We didn’t know a pandemic was coming then, but that early work made all the difference,” Dr. Ihekweazu said. “The key lesson is this: you don’t plan for a fire when your house is already burning. You prepare and prevent — because while no one wants a fire, you need the confidence that if one occurs, you can respond effectively.”
Beyond institutions and systems, Dr. Ihekweazu highlighted trust as a critical factor in crisis management. “Trust is everything,” he said. “It’s a delicate commodity — easy to lose, but very hard to rebuild.” Trust between governments and citizens is built through consistent delivery, transparency, and everyday engagement.
Dr. Ihekweazu recalled leading daily COVID-19 briefings in Nigeria, attributing the success to the NCDC’s pre-existing trust with the public. “They wouldn’t have trusted my words if they didn’t already trust the institution,” he said, emphasizing the importance of building trust before crises.
Dr. Ihekweazu urged African governments to invest in preparedness and build trust with citizens now, rather than waiting for a crisis. “Build trust with your citizens now, so that when a crisis comes, they will believe in your guidance and cooperate fully.”