Fighting an Impolite Virus
Review of An Imperfect Storm:n A Pandemic and the Coming of Age of a Nigerian Institution by Chikwe Ihekweazu with Vivianne Ihekweazu by Bolaji Olatunde Publisher: Masobe Books and Logistics Limited Date of Publication: 2024 In 2020, the world stood still, terrorised by a disrespectful virus named by COVID-19 by scientists. At no point does the narrative stand still in this riveting memoir by Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu and his wife, Vivianne Ihekweazu. In 2016, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, was plucked from relative obscurity to become the head of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), “with the mandate to lead the preparedness, detection and response to infectious disease outbreaks and public health emergencies .” Prior to his appointment, he’d worked variously in Europe and South Africa for twenty years. The book’s narrative, rendered in an unflappable tone, settles the reader into a ringside seat of Nigeria’s war with a virus, through Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu’s eyes. The authors re...