Medical professionals in Anambra State say the appointment of an Executive Director for Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA) will revitalize the agency.
The professionals commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for the appointment which they noted ended nearly four years of leadership vacuum.
The agency plays a critical role in coordinating HIV/AIDS control efforts in the state.
But it had operated without an Executive Director for years.
The situation many stakeholders believed weakened its effectiveness and limited its impact.
They said the appointment is a timely intervention signaling renewed commitment to tackling HIV/AIDS in Anambra.
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Christian Aburime, announced the appointment on April 23, 2026.
He described Okeke as an accomplished and versatile medical professional with strong clinical and academic credentials.
Aburime described Okeke as an award-winning expert with research interests spanning epidemiology, global health management, and community care.
“With research interests in epidemiology, global health management, community and social care management and more, Dr. Okeke has presented quality papers at conferences and seminars,” Aburime stated.
Reducing infection rate
Reacting to the development, the Chief Medical Director of Princeton Specialist Hospital and Orthopaedic Centre, Amaechi Nwachukwu, described ANSACA as a vital institution in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
He emphasized that sustained awareness campaigns remain key to reducing infection rates.
“The creation of awareness alone can lead to reduction in HIV/AIDS prevalence in the state,” he said.
Also speaking, a laboratory scientist at Glanson Medical Laboratories, Arizechukwu Nwobu, urged stakeholders to rally support for the agency to ensure it achieves its objectives.
“The revitalisation of that agency is very, very important in the sense that HIV is still prevalent in this country.
“Although there seems to be a little drop, it is still very much prevalent,” he noted.
Stakeholders believe that with the appointment of a substantive Executive Director, ANSACA is now better positioned to coordinate response strategies, drive awareness, and strengthen interventions aimed at curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS across Anambra State.
