LANSING, Mich. – The Ingham County Health Department is proud to announce that Nike Shoyinka, MD, MPH, has been named Medical Health Officer by the Ingham County Board of Commissioners beginning February 18. Linda Vail, Ingham County’s current Health Officer, will be retiring on February 17 after leading the department for more than 9 years.
As Medical Health Officer, Dr. Shoyinka will be responsible for the strategic vision and direction of the health department. A medical health officer, as specified by Michigan’s Public Health Code, is a physician and the county's top public health official.
Ingham County Health Department offers a complex and comprehensive array of public health and health care services with a staff of 375. She will provide leadership to the health department's public health services and the Ingham Community Health Centers, a network of 12 Federally Qualified Health Centers.
Dr. Shoyinka has a medical degree from the University of Ibadan Medical School and completed her Internal Medicine residency in Harlem Hospital at Columbia University in New York City, an Infectious Disease Fellowship at Henry Ford Hospital/Wayne State University in Detroit, and a Preventative Medicine Residency at the University of Michigan. She is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Infectious Disease, and Preventative Medicine.
“I am both honored and excited to be stepping into this new role at Ingham County, said Dr. Nike Shoyinka, incoming Ingham County Medical Health Officer. “As the health department begins to move into a post-pandemic phase, my top priority is ensuring we are rebuilding our people and programs to best serve our community.”
Before being named Ingham County Medical Health Officer, Dr. Shoyinka served as Medical Director for both Ingham and Ionia County Health Departments. She oversaw public health clinical operations and provided medical oversight for all public health programs including Communicable Diseases programs and Correctional Health. Dr. Shoyinka provided critical medical advice and direction during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic response.
Ingham County Health Department expresses its sincere gratitude to Linda Vail for her dedicated years of service and leadership to the department and the county as Health Officer. She led the community through several public health crises while striving toward better health outcomes for all. The Ingham County Health Department wishes her well and good health in her next chapter.