By Romanus Udekwe Okue-Agbomma
Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, has approved the appointments of three seasoned medical practitioners to lead key health institutions in the state, signaling a renewed push to strengthen the state’s healthcare infrastructure.
The appointments, announced Thursday by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, place Dr. Ezeaka Augustine Uwaeme, Dr. Obianuju Chinelo Okoye, and Dr. Hillary Nkem Okeke at the helms of three critical health agencies.
Dr. Uwaeme takes charge as Executive Secretary of the Anambra State Health Insurance Agency (ASHIA), bringing more than 22 years of experience in medicine and surgery to the role. A product of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, USA, and the National Post-Graduate Medical College of Nigeria, among other institutions, Uwaeme is credited with a rare combination of clinical depth, administrative muscle, and entrepreneurial acumen that his appointment is expected to put to immediate use in expanding health insurance coverage across the state.
Dr. Obianuju Chinelo Okoye has been named Executive Secretary of the Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency. Armed with an MBBS from Ebonyi State University, a Master’s degree in Public Health, and a Diploma in Family Medicine from the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, Okoye brings over two decades of integrated experience spanning hospital practice and the public health sector — a profile well-suited to revitalising primary healthcare at the grassroots level.
Completing the trio, Dr. Hillary Nkem Okeke assumes office as Executive Director of the Anambra State AIDS Control Agency. An award-winning clinician and lecturer, Okeke holds an MBBS from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, and a Master’s degree in Public Health. His research interests in epidemiology, global health management, and community and social care management position him to sharpen the state’s response to the HIV/AIDS burden.
In announcing the appointments, the Governor’s office expressed confidence that the three appointees would deploy their “diverse top-notch skills and rich clinical experiences” to “elevate the quality of healthcare delivery in Anambra State to greater heights.”
The appointments come as Governor Soludo continues to prioritise health sector reform as a cornerstone of his administration’s development agenda. ASHIA, the Primary Health Care Development Agency, and the AIDS Control Agency are each central to the government’s mandate of delivering accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare to Anambra residents.
The new heads are expected to assume their respective offices immediately.
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