Dar es Salaam. Dr Faustine Ndugulile, recently elected as the new World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, has died, leaving behind a legacy of a principled public health official and open-minded people’s representative.
Speaker of Parliament Tulia Ackson announced Wednesday that Dr Ndugulile, who doubles as Kigamboni MP (Chama cha Mapinduzi – CCM), died in the early hours of Wednesday in India, where he had been receiving treatment for an unnamed ailment.
Ndugulile, who has served as health deputy minister and ICT minister in the Tanzanian government, will be remembered as an easy-going public health official who got along with so many people thanks to his willingness to exchange views with everyone.
Many Tanzanians saw what an ethical and principled professional in Ndugulile, unafraid to behave as professionally as possible even in difficult circumstances.
In 2020, for example, when authorities pursued a denialist approach to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Ndugulile, then serving as deputy health minister, went front and urged people to take all necessary precautions to avoid the deadly disease, a decision many believe cost him his position.
When President Samia Suluhu Hassan established the new Ministry of Communication and Information Technology in December 2020, she appointed Dr Ndugulile to head the docket. He is accredited to formulate a functional ministerial structure, increase the ministry’s budget, and restructure underperforming institutions.
During his short stay in the new Ministry, Ndugulile was also credited with supervising the development of the five-year Strategic Plan, Broadband, and Cybersecurity strategies. He has also championed innovation, promoted startups, and adopted new ICT technologies.
President Samia sent her condolence message to the deceased’s family and Tanzanians. Several others have joined her in mourning Mr Ndugulile’s death.
Many Tanzanians expressed their shock upon learning about Dr Ndugulile’s death, with people sharing varying tributes to a man they held to a very high standard. They’re mourning his untimely death, wishing the nation would have as many people as him.
