Echezona E. Ezeanolue

University of Nigeria | UNN · Department of Pediatrics

Background: In 2021, Nigeria had an estimated 1.9 million people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) and 1.7 million (90%) on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Study Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: This meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) 2020 gu...

Background Pregnancy presents a critical period for any maternal and child health intervention that may impact the health of the newborn. With low antenatal care attendance by pregnant women in health facilities in Nigeria, community-based programs could enable increased reach for health education about sickle cell disease (SCD) and newborn screeni...

Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Africa is mostly acquired before the age of 5 years through vertical or horizontal routes. While all the countries in the World Health Organization African region have introduced HBV vaccination into their national immunization programs, the rate of protective immune response to HBV vaccine among chil...

Background Despite the increased risk of cervical cancer (CC) among women living with HIV (WLHIV), CC screening and treatment (CCST) rates remain low in Africa. The integration of CCST services into established HIV programs in Africa can improve CC prevention and control. However, the paucity of evidence on effective implementation strategies (IS)...

Current treatments for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) focus on slowing memory and cognitive decline, but none offer curative outcomes. This study aims to explore and curate the common properties of active, drug-like molecules that modulate glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β), a well-documented kinase with increased activity in tau hyperphosphorylation a...

Introduction Nigeria offers universal hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine (HepB-BD) for the prevention and control of hepatitis B (HepB). While prior studies suggest low coverage of HepB-BD in Nigeria, there is a paucity of evidence on the association between the uptake of HepB-BD and maternal HepB status. This study aimed to determine HepB-BD coverage...

Purpose of review We review current knowledge on the burden, impact and prevention of cholera among children who bear the brunt of cholera outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa. Recent findings Several studies have shown that recent outbreaks of cholera among African children are related to minimal progress in basic sanitation and infrastructural develo...

Males have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors such as alcohol use, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, obesity, and smoking based on limited data available from two tertiary health centers in Nigeria. Increasing age and lower educational level influence smoking among the same population in northeastern and northwestern Nigeria...

Introduction Of 300,000 children born with sickle cell disease (SCD) in the world, approximately 75% of these are born in Sub-Saharan Africa. Owing to the frequent painful vaso-occlusive and hemolytic episodes associated with this disease, irreversible multi-organ damage and premature mortality are common. For instance, in Nigeria, 490 deaths per 1...

Background Cervical cancer constitutes a huge burden among women in Nigeria, particularly HIV-infected women. However, the provision and uptake of cervical cancer screening and treatment is limited in Nigeria. Understanding implementation determinants is essential for the effective translation of such evidence-based interventions into practice, par...

Cervical cancer accounts for 21.7% of all cancer deaths in the sub-Saharan Africa with a case fatality rate of 68%. Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health has adopted cervical cancer screening (CCS) using visual inspection with acetic acid or Lugol’s iodine (VIA/VILI) and cryotherapy treatment for precancerous lesions as the preferred screening and t...

Purpose: Prostate cancer is a major cause of death in African men, and the accuracy of prostate specific antigen (PSA) test results is important to ensure patients have access to accurate early diagnosis and treatment. External Quality Assessment (EQA) is an established framework to improve the quality of PSA results. We aimed to determine the need...

Background Poor maternal, newborn and child health outcomes remain a major public health challenge in Nigeria. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions such as patient-held smart cards have been proposed as effective solutions to improve maternal health outcomes. Our objectives were to assess the acceptability and experiences of pregnant women with th...

Some mental health interventions have addressed mental health among people living with HIV (PLWH) using a variety of approaches, but little is known about the details of such interventions in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), a region that bears the largest burden of HIV in the world. The present study describes mental health interventions for PLWH in SSA...

This study examines the lessons learnt from the implementation of a surge program in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria as part of the Strengthening Integrated Delivery of HIV/AIDS Services (SIDHAS) Project. In this analysis, we included all clients who received HIV counseling and testing services, tested HIV positive, and initiated ART in SIDHAS-supported l...

Although several international and national HIV/AIDS conferences exist, there was not a national conference in Tanzania focusing on HIV/AIDS disseminating and implementation research conducted in the country and abroad. This created a missed opportunity for researchers to share their research findings with local policymakers and HIV program impleme...

There is limited capacity and infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa to conduct clinical trials for the identification of efficient and effective new prevention, diagnostic and treatment modalities to address the disproportionate burden of disease. This paper reports on the process to establish locally driven infrastructure for multicentre research a...

Abstract Background In Nigeria, private for-profit health facilities present an opportunity to achieve the UNAIDS 95-95-95 HIV targets because of their reach and patronage. However, little is known about determinants of outcomes in these facilities. This study describes patient outcomes and the patient and health facility characteristics associated...

There are missed opportunities for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) in Nigeria. However, little is known about the geographic variation. We examined the geographic pattern in the missed opportunities for HIV testing among antenatal care (ANC) attendees and initiation t on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Nigeria. This st...

Background Poor maternal, newborn and child health outcomes remain a major public health challenge in Nigeria. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions such as patient-held smart cards have been proposed as effective solutions to improve maternal health outcomes. Our objectives were to assess the acceptability and experiences of pregnant women with th...

Background Nigeria has low antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage among HIV-positive pregnant women. In a previous cluster-randomized trial in Nigeria, Baby Shower events resulted in higher HIV testing coverage and linkage of pregnant women to ART; here, we assess outcomes of Baby Shower events in a non-research setting. Methods Baby Shower events,...

Background Nigeria has a high burden of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, commonly acquired through vertical transmission. However, there is a lack of an efficient surveillance system for monitoring and understanding the epidemiology of HBV among pregnant women. Building on a previous review on the prevalence of HBV in Nigeria (2000–2013), we cond...

Background In Nigeria, private for-profit health facilities present an opportunity to achieve the 95-95-95 HIV targets because of their reach and patronage. However, little is known about determinants of outcomes in these facilities. This study describes patient outcomes and their determinants in adults receiving HIV treatment in private facilities...

Background Hepatitis B birth dose (HepB-BD) vaccination coverage remains suboptimal in Nigeria. While evidence suggests that institutional delivery is associated with the uptake of HepB-BD vaccine, little is known about how the uptake differs by facility ownership (public or private). This study examined the HepB-BD vaccination coverage by place of...

Objective To provide an overview of the evidence on the prevalence and pattern of complications among patients treated by traditional bonesetting presenting for modern orthopaedic services in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMIC). Methods Systematic review following PRISMA guidelines. Articles were identified by searching PubMed, Embase, Science...

Background Haemoglobin genotype screening at prenatal care offers women an opportunity to be aware of their genotype, receive education on sickle cell disease (SCD) and may increase maternal demand for SCD newborn screening. In developed countries, most pregnant women who access prenatal care and deliver at the hospital receive haemoglobin genotype...

Non-communication of HIV status among sex partners is a notable hurdle in halting transmission, largely due to socio-cultural factors. This study aimed to predict the determinants of male partners' awareness of women's serostatus. A total of 8825 women of reproductive age living with HIV who were clients at five comprehensive HIV treatment centres...

Background: Training lay people to deliver mental health interventions in the community can be an effective strategy to mitigate mental health manpower shortages in low- and middle-income countries. The healthy beginning initiative (HBI) is a congregation-based platform that uses this approach to train church-based lay health advisors to conduct m...

Objectives To determine the population prevalence and determinants of hepatitis B (Hep B) status, and status discordance, among pregnant women and their male partners in Nigeria. Methods Cross‐sectional study assessing the seroprevalence of Hep B virus in a cohort of 16 920 pregnant women and their male partners in northcentral Nigeria. Rapid HBsA...

Background The prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria is high and growing. The burden and risk factor distribution also vary by geographical zone. Information about prevalence, risk factors and disease status awareness are needed to guide evidence based public health response at the national and sub- national levels. Purpose This paper describes th...

Abstract Background The Nigerian HIV Geriatric Cohort (NHGC) is a longitudinal cohort setup to learn how elderly people living with HIV (EPLHIV) in Nigeria fare, despite not being prioritized by the national treatment program, and to deepen knowledge for their differentiated care and achieve better outcomes. In this paper, we describe data collecte...

Pediatricians play a crucial role in optimizing the prevention of perinatal transmission of HIV infection. Pediatricians provide antiretroviral prophylaxis to infants born to women with HIV type 1 (HIV) infection during pregnancy and to those whose mother's status was first identified during labor or delivery. Infants whose mothers have an undeterm...

Background: In Nigeria, there is an estimated 1.9 million people living with HIV (PLHIV), 53% of whom utilize HIV care and services. With decreasing HIV-related deaths and increasing new infections, HIV with its associated comorbidities continue to be a key public health challenge in Nigeria. Untreated, comorbid mental disorders are a critical but...

Introduction Sub-Saharan Africa houses over two-thirds of the 37 million people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) globally and of this, 5–20% are co-infected with Hepatitis B virus (HBV). This is double jeopardy, especially for women of reproductive age in these settings, who can transmit both viruses vertically as well as horizontally...

Objective Our study sought to assesses the knowledge and awareness of individual sickle cell genotype among adolescents. Methods Participants were recruited from a large school in Southeast Nigeria where adult prevalence of sickle cell trait is 25%. Data was collected through a 50-item survey with previously pretested questions that assessed aware...

Background: In Nigeria, there is an estimated 1.9 million people living with HIV (PLHIV), 53% of whom utilize HIV care and services. With decreasing HIV-related deaths and increasing new infections, HIV with its associated comorbidities continue to be a key public health challenge in Nigeria. Untreated, comorbid mental disorders are a critical but...

Background: In Nigeria, there is an estimated 1.9 million people living with HIV (PLHIV), 53% of whom utilize HIV care and services. With decreasing HIV-related deaths and increasing new infections, HIV with its associated comorbidities continue to be a key public health challenge in Nigeria. Untreated, comorbid mental disorders are a critical but...

Background: In Nigeria, there is an estimated 1.9 million people living with HIV (PLHIV), 53% of whom utilize HIV care and services. With decreasing HIV-related deaths and increasing new infections, HIV with its associated comorbidities continue to be a key public health challenge in Nigeria. Untreated, comorbid mental disorders are a critical but...

Background: Most of the world's sickle cell disease (SCD) burden is in Africa, where it is a major contributor to child morbidity and mortality. Despite the low cost of many preventive SCD interventions, insufficient resources have been allocated, and progress in alleviating the SCD burden has lagged behind other public-health efforts in Africa. T...

Background: Traditional bonesetters (TBS) provide the majority of primary fracture care in Nigeria and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). They are widely patronized and their services are commonly associated with complications. The aim of the study was to establish the feasibility of formal training of TBS and subsequent integration i...

Introduction Tobacco smoking is the largest preventable cause of global mortality, with its prevalence increasing in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly among adolescents. We sought to determine the factors associated with tobacco smoking among Nigerian school adolescents and investigate the interaction between school location and socioeconomic status...

Background: The Nigerian HIV Geriatric Cohort (NHGC) is a longitudinal cohort setup to learn how elderly people living with HIV (EPLHIV) in Nigeria fare, despite not being prioritized by the national treatment program, and to deepen knowledge for their differentiated care and achieve better outcomes. In this paper, we describe data collected on soc...

Background: The Nigerian HIV Geriatric Cohort (NHGC) is a longitudinal cohort setup to learn how elderly people living with HIV (EPLHIV) in Nigeria fare, despite not being prioritized by the national treatment program, and to deepen knowledge for their differentiated care and achieve better outcomes. In this paper, we describe data collected on soc...

Background: An estimated 280,000 adults aged 50 years and above live with HIV in Nigeria, a population set to increase with ART efficacy and expanding coverage. To learn how elderly people living with HIV (EPLHIV) in Nigeria fare, despite not being prioritized by the national treatment program, and to deepen knowledge for their differentiated care...

Background: The Nigerian HIV Geriatric Cohort (NHGC) is a longitudinal cohort setup to learn how elderly people living with HIV (EPLHIV) in Nigeria fare, despite not being prioritized by the national treatment program, and to deepen knowledge for their differentiated care and achieve better outcomes. In this paper, we describe data collected on soc...

Background: The Nigerian HIV Geriatric Cohort (NHGC) is a longitudinal cohort setup to learn how elderly people living with HIV (EPLHIV) in Nigeria fare, despite not being prioritized by the national treatment program, and to deepen knowledge for their differentiated care and achieve better outcomes. In this paper, we describe data collected on soc...

Background: The Nigerian HIV Geriatric Cohort (NHGC) is a longitudinal cohort setup to learn how elderly people living with HIV (EPLHIV) in Nigeria fare, despite not being prioritized by the national treatment program, and to deepen knowledge for their differentiated care and achieve better outcomes. In this paper, we describe data collected on soc...

Background: The review aimed at systematically examining the evidence in articles that assess the clinical effects and impact of traditional bonesetters on contemporary fracture care in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). Methods: A systematic review was conducted. Articles were identified by database searching ((PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect,...

Background: Contextual research evidence is needed to reduce morbidity and mortality due to chronic but preventable diseases in low- and middle-income countries. Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is particularly burdened by these diseases despite its academic and research infrastructure. A major impediment to developing robust evidence on s...

Objective The overall increase in global domestic HIV expenditure obscures the specific performances of many sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries in local resourcing of their HIV programs. In this study, we explored the pattern and correlates of domestic HIV expenditure in SSA. Study design This is a cross-sectional ecological study. Methods Data w...

Despite its scaled-up response for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT), Nigeria still contributes the greatest number of infants infected with HIV worldwide. Drawing on our knowledge, and review of policy documents and research papers, we explored the achievements and challenges in the elimination of mother-to-child transmissi...

Background This study examines the factors associated with skilled birth attendants at delivery among married adolescent girls in Nigeria. Methods The study was a secondary data analysis of the fifth round of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey conducted between September 2016 and January 2017. Married adolescent girls aged 15–19 y who had live...

Objective: Uptake of permanent contraception among women remains low in sub-Saharan Africa compared to other regions. We aimed to synthesize available evidence on barriers to, and facilitators of permanent contraception with regards to tubal ligation among women in sub-Saharan Africa. Study design: We reviewed literature on tubal ligation among...

Background At an estimated 240,000, Nigeria has the second highest number of adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) globally. Treatment outcomes for ALHIV have been poorer than for adults and younger children living with HIV. In order to improve outcomes for this population, comprehensive profile information is needed for programming innovations and d...

Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs are effective in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT), however many sub-Saharan African countries are yet to achieve universal ARV coverage among pregnant women living with HIV. This study examined factors associated with ARV coverage for PMTCT in 41 sub-Saharan Africa countries. Country-level agg...

Background Partner HIV testing during pregnancy has remained abysmally low in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Nigeria. Males rarely attend antenatal clinics with their female partners, limiting the few opportunities available to offer them HIV testing. In this study, we evaluated the scale-up of the Healthy Beginning Initiative (HBI), a communi...

Supporting minimal dataset. (XLSX)

Background Nigeria has an annual population of ~ 200,000 women who are both pregnant and HIV-positive. High unmet need for family planning in this population could lead to unintended pregnancies, along with the increased risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT). To identify modifiable barriers and facilitators in effective family planning...

Background: Implementation research (IR) facilitates health systems strengthening and optimal patient outcomes by generating evidence for scale-up of efficacious strategies in context. Thus, difficulties in generating IR evidence, particularly in limited-resource settings with wide disease prevention and treatment gaps, need to be anticipated and...

The acceptability of lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) among HIV-positive women in high-burden Nigeria, is not well-known. We explored readiness of users and providers of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services to accept lifelong ART -before Option B plus was implemented in Nigeria. We conducted 142 key informant inte...

Clergy participating in the Healthy Beginning Initiative (N = 45), a program utilizing church workers to integrate packages of care into church activities, completed a 43-item self-administered questionnaire assessing their attitudes and beliefs about mental disorders and perception of their treatability. A majority believed that drug/alcohol use,...

A theoretical framework serves as a roadmap for the implementation and application of a complex, health promotion intervention; is used to test hypotheses; and guides analysis and evaluation of the intervention. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how a theoretical framework was developed and used to guide the implementation of Healthy Be...

Introduction The period of transition from pediatric to adult care has been associated with poor health outcomes among 10–19 year old adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV). This has prompted a focus on the quality of transition services, especially in high ALHIV-burden countries. Due to lack of guidelines, there are no healthcare transition standards...

Questionnaire for the ALHIV healthcare transition survey in Nigeria. (PDF)

Background: Neonatal mortality due to preventable factors occurs at high rates throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Community-based interventions increase opportunities for prenatal screening and access to antenatal care services (ANC) services. The Healthy Beginning Initiative (HBI) provided congregation-based prenatal screening and health counseling f...

Background: Majority of new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa occur in discordant heterosexual relationships. Partner awareness of HIV status is an essential component of prevention to reduce transmission risk in discordant relationships. Our objective was to evaluate partner awareness of HIV status and its associated factors among HIV-infected...

9th Annual CUGH Conference, New York

Background: Tobacco use during adolescence is a substantial problem and adolescents are at higher risk of addiction and prolonged use. To reduce the burden of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality, monitoring of adolescent tobacco use is imperative. We aimed to determine the prevalence of tobacco use among adolescents in urban and rural secondar...