Yesterday, I had the honour of leading a courtesy visit to the World Health Organization Nigeria Country Office, Abuja, accompanied by the Directors and Senior Team of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, to formally extend our deepest appreciation and valediction to Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, as he concludes his distinguished tenure as WHO Representative and Head of Mission in Nigeria.

Throughout his stewardship, Dr Mulombo has demonstrated a commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s health system architecture, advancing Universal Health Coverage, and reinforcing primary healthcare delivery through initiatives such as the “Adopt-A-Healthcare Facility Programme”. His strategic leadership has galvanised multisectoral efforts, particularly in the integration of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene as a foundational component of resilient healthcare provision, and Walk the Talk to Beat Non-Communicable Diseases, areas of mutual priority and long-standing collaboration between the World Health Organization and The Wellbeing Foundation Africa.

In my capacity as a member of the World Health Organization Africa Regional Office’s Independent Advisory Group and Special Adviser to the WHO Africa Region, I have had the privilege of engaging closely with Dr Mulombo on regional and national priorities, and his steadfast support for evidence-based, community-led approaches, such as the WBFA Mamacare360 Antenatal and Postnatal Education Programme, has ensured that maternal, newborn and child health remains central to Nigeria’s public health agenda.

As he transitions to his next chapter, we acknowledge with profound gratitude Dr Mulombo’s leadership, diplomatic acumen, and principled advocacy for health equity. His tenure has not only advanced the WHO’s mandate in Nigeria but has also laid a durable foundation upon which future progress can be built.