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U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Welcome
CDC Country Director
HIV/AIDS Programs
Global Health Security Programs
Immunization Programs

CDC Nigeria Overview

CDC established its office in Nigeria in 2001.  It works with the Federal Ministry of Health and other partners to build effective public health collaboration and partnerships, which strengthen the country’s core public health capabilities: data and surveillance, laboratory capacity, workforce and institutions, prevention and response, innovation and research, and policy, communications, and diplomacy.

CDC Country Director

CDC Country Director Dr. Meghna Desai
Dr. Meghna Desai

Dr. Meghna Desai is the CDC Country Director and Division of Global HIV and TB Program Director.  She leads one of CDC’s largest country offices and support CDC’s collective efforts in global HIV and TB, global health security, and immunization.  Prior to joining CDC Nigeria, Dr. Desai served as the CDC Country Director in India from July 2019 to June 2025.

With 25 years of global health experience spanning the Americas, Africa, and Asia, Dr. Desai has made significant contributions to clinical research, disease surveillance, laboratory systems, public health workforce development, and the fight against various infectious diseases, including malaria, polio, and COVID-19. Notably, Dr. Desai led CDC’s foundational Malaria Branch in Atlanta, where she provided scientific and programmatic leadership for global malaria initiatives. She played a pivotal role in the world’s first malaria vaccine pilot implementation evaluation in Africa.

Throughout her career, Dr. Desai has been actively involved in both domestic and international emergency responses, including Hurricane Katrina, anthrax, Zika, Marburg, and COVID-19. She has mentored numerous master’s and PhD candidates, as well as Epidemic Intelligence Service and FETP residents across four continents, fostering the development of local and international epidemiologic and outbreak response capacity.

Dr. Desai holds a PhD in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Amsterdam, an MPH in International Health, and a B.S. in Anthropology and Human Biology from Emory University. She has authored or coauthored over 110 publications.

HIV/AIDS Programs

As a key implementer of the PEPFAR, CDC works with the Federal Ministry of Health, state ministries of health, and partners to build sustainable and high-impact HIV programs. The objective is to achieve the UNAIDS 95-95-95 goals and end HIV as a public health threat by 2030. Program focus areas include

  • Establishing integrated health service delivery platforms that provide people living with HIV with lifesaving treatment.
  • Maintaining high quality care.
  • Ensuring data availability for decision making.
  • Closing treatment gaps for select states and people at higher risk for HIV.

Global Health Security Programs

In 2019, Nigeria became a Global health Security Agenda (GHSA) partner country. CDC works with the Government of Nigeria and partners to achieve GHSA goals by strengthening surveillance, laboratory, workforce development, and emergency response. CDC

  • Supports the strengthening of surveillance at points of entry to prevent disease spread across borders.
  • Helps develop core laboratory diagnostic capacity to test for mpox, yellow fever, measles, Lassa fever, cholera, and cerebrospinal meningitis.
  • Helps train epidemiologists and emergency response staff through the Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programs and the Public Health Emergency Management training program.

Immunization Programs

CDC provides technical and programmatic expertise to eliminate or control vaccine-preventable diseases through immunizations. CDC works with international and local partners to strengthen immunization systems and expand routine vaccine delivery. This work helps prevent cases of infectious diseases such as polio and measles.

 

For more information on CDC programs and activities, visit CDC in Nigeria.