Africa: The CDC Has a New Director - Now Comes the Hard Part

[The Conversation Africa] The new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Erica Schwartz, confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Aug. 5, 2026, is only the second CDC director to face Senate confirmation. Congress adopted the process for the agency after the COVID-19 pandemic to bring more scrutiny to one of the country's most consequential public health jobs, as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.