Andi, Now Based In Africa, Appoints Leading Global Health Expert As Executive Director
Newly appointed Executive Director set to pursue the much needed vision of supporting developing countries to take leadership in fighting the diseases that affect them the most.
- (1888PressRelease) December 10, 2014 - Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) - The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the Board of the African Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation (ANDI) jointly announced today that Dr Solomon Nwaka has accepted the position of Executive Director of ANDI and has officially assumed the leadership of the organization now hosted by UNOPS in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia).
"We are excited to have Dr Nwaka join UNOPS as the Executive Director of ANDI," said Bamidele Ilebani, Director of UNOPS Ethiopia Operational Hub. "His doggedness and interpersonal skills made the transition of ANDI to Africa under the administrative framework of UNOPS possible. On behalf of the UNOPS Executive Director, I wish Solomon well in his new position." "This is a very important milestone," added Dr Tshinko Ilunga, Vice-Chair of the ANDI Board. "The Board is pleased to have Solomon continue the work he started."
Prior to joining UNOPS, Dr Nwaka served as the acting Executive Director of ANDI, and headed different R&D units at the World Health Organization's Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (WHO/TDR), such as Drug Discovery Research for Infectious Tropical Diseases, and Innovation for Product Development in Developing Countries. It is during his tenure at WHO that he championed the idea of regional innovation networks for health product R&D which resulted in the establishment of ANDI, the China Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation (China NDI) and the ASEAN NDI.
These initiatives and his earlier work in establishing global networks for drug discovery exemplify novel open-innovation models for tackling diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries.
"Solomon is a leading global health expert and his selfless contribution toward the development of ANDI has been remarkable," highlighted Mr James Macharia, Cabinet Secretary for Health of Kenya and co-Chair of the ANDI Board.
Dr Nwaka was a foundational staff member of the Medicines for Malaria Venture based in Geneva (Switzerland), where he served as Director of Drug Discovery and Innovation. He has also worked and trained at various academic and research institutions around the world including USA, Japan, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Nigeria, and Canada where he worked in the biopharmaceutical sector. He has published broadly on health innovation systems, public-private partnerships, networks, and capacity building and utilization in developing countries.
As he was preparing to move to UNOPS, Dr Nwaka reached out to friends, colleagues and partners, saying "I am off to Addis to pursue the ANDI dream and I need your continued support." The ANDI dream reflects Dr Nwaka's tireless efforts to support developing countries in taking the leadership in fighting the diseases that affect them the most.
Media contact
Chloé Coves, Communications and External Relations Manager
covesc ( @ ) andi-africa dot org | +251 941 134053 dot
African Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation, UNOPS
UNDP RSCA Building, Dem. Rep. Congo Street
P.O. Box 60130, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
About ANDI
ANDI was launched as a concept in Abuja (Nigeria) in 2008. ANDI mission is to promote and sustain African-led health innovation to address African public health needs through efficient use of local knowledge, assembly of research networks, and building of capacity to support development. ANDI focuses on addressing Africa's unmet health needs by harnessing the untapped power of collaboration among African researchers as well as equitable North-South and South-South partnerships. The organization vision is to create a sustainable platform for health innovation in Africa.
ANDI was initially incubated by TDR at the WHO and is now hosted by UNOPS in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia).
More information: www.andi-africa.org | Twitter: ( @ ) ANDI_Africa.
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