Former DG of NAFDAC, Dora Akunyili’s daughter named first black chief medical officer of U.S. hospital 

The Jersey City Medical Center, a RWJBarnabas health facility in the United States, has announced Ijeoma Akunyili as the new chief medical officer of the hospital.

A statement released on the Medical Center’s official website on Wednesday, January 11, says Dr. Ijeoma Akunyili is the first African American medical professional to serve in that role, given to her expertise experience.

Ijeoma is the first daughter of the late Dora Akunyili, former director-general of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and ex-minister of information.

“In her most recent role, Dr. Akunyili served as the Regional Medical Director for TeamHealth, Northeast Group, where she had strategic, operational, and clinical oversight of nearly twenty emergency departments, critical care, and hospitalist service lines in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania.