A 44‑year‑old Nigerian medical doctor, Obinna Onyekwena, has been appointed deputy director of disease advocacy at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle, Washington. The foundation, established in 2000 by Microsoft co‑founder Bill Gates and his wife, focuses on improving health in developing countries with the ultimate goal of helping people escape hunger and extreme poverty.
In his new role, Obinna will lead the foundation’s strategies and investment portfolio aimed at increasing political commitment, resources, and implementation for HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, neglected tropical diseases, and the Global Fund’s fight against AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. He earned his medical degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and holds an MSc in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Before joining the Gates Foundation, Obinna spent ten years at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, where he helped strengthen national responses to these three deadly infectious diseases. He managed investments that successfully scaled up innovative HIV service delivery across Africa and Asia. Earlier in his career, he served as Associate Director for Monitoring and Evaluation at FHI360 Nigeria, contributing to the advancement of national policies and the scale‑up of Nigeria’s HIV, TB, and malaria programmes, and leading studies on maternal and child health systems in northern Nigeria.
Obinna announced his appointment on LinkedIn on Sunday, writing, “Friends and colleagues, I’m thrilled to share that I will be joining the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as their new Deputy Director, Infectious Disease Advocacy, based in Seattle, Washington. In this new role I will be leading the advancement of the foundation’s HIV, TB, malaria and NTD advocacy strategies in partnership with the Program Advocacy and Communications team. I am grateful for the incredible experience and strong friendships from my time at The Global Fund and the confidence bestowed on me by leadership at the Gates Foundation. I believe there is no better transition to make at this time than to a family working hard together to create a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life.” The post has generated hundreds of congratulatory messages from friends, colleagues, and associates.
According to his résumé, Obinna has a record of outstanding work and corporate awards, leading initiatives that produced evidence‑based policy and impactful interventions. He has designed, resourced, and managed catalytic investments that delivered outsized value for people living with HIV. He possesses a deep understanding of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3, and is recognized as a subject‑matter expert with well‑established relationships in the global health technical, policy, and donor communities, especially concerning HIV, TB, malaria, and sexual and reproductive health.
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