The sad news of the passing of Professor Anthony Ugochukwu, the Commissioner for Health in Enugu State, has been confirmed. He passed away on Friday night, April 3rd, at a private hospital in the state. The lawmaker representing Oji River state constituency in the Enugu House of Assembly, Jeff Mbah, expressed grief over the loss, describing the late commissioner as a genius and technocrat.
Prior to his appointment as Commissioner in 2019, Ugochukwu had been battling an ailment. He had recently returned from the United States and was reportedly in good health before his sudden demise. Mbah emphasized the significant impact of Ugochukwu’s death, stating, “He is a great loss to both Enugu state and Nigeria. We are talking about a renowned professor of surgery who has a lot to offer in turning around our health sector. It’s a terrible blow.”
Following the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the confirmation of two cases in Enugu State, the duties of the late commissioner had been temporarily taken over by the permanent secretary in the ministry of health, Dr. Ifeanyi Agujiobi.