A Nigerian MPH candidate joins the UMB grantees in Ghana

"The UCC-Experience exposed me to the successes and challenges of the PMTCT program in Ghana. I learned new strategies for helping People living with HIV (PLHIV) disclose status and adhere to treatment; which were a little different from what is obtained in Nigeria. I also learned about the steady decline in the incidence and prevalence of HIV among pregnant women and the recent high prevalence of syphilis among HIV infected women. Ghana compared with Nigeria, still faces the major challenge of early infant diagnosis of HIV-exposed babies at 6weeks after birth and after cessation of breastfeeding using the dry blood spot method. Their reliance on the 18 months rapid test for diagnosis of exposed babies is of great concern in PMTCT of HIV and reduction of child mortality."-Salome Erekaha

Ms. Salome Erekaha is currently an MPH candidate in the University of Ibadan, an Institute of Human Virology- Fogarty fellow in training and a graduate student in the University of Maryland online course on Responsible conduct in International Affairs.  Ms. Erekaha research interests align with issues in sexual and reproductive health among women living with HIV in Nigeria. She has coordinated the planning, implementation and analysis of three major research projects relating to Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Primary health care facilities in the North-Central Nigeria. During our trip to Ghana, she provided a wonderful addition to our team and expand the mission of inter-professionalism. Some of her scientific publications are listed below:

1.     H. Swomen, S.Erekaha, L. Rapoport, G. Adeyemo, M. Almujtaba, A. Ibrahim, C. Isah, O. Ezebuka, L. Cornelius, J. Okundaye, M. Charurat, W. Blattner, N. Sam-Agudu (February, 2015). Evaluation of HIV Status Disclosure among HIV-positive Women in Rural North-Central Nigeria. In Proceedings of the 5^th International Workshop on HIV and Women: Adolescence through Menopause, Seattle, W.A, USA, p, 25 (Poster)

2.     O. Ezebuka, N. Sam-Agudu, S. Erekaha, M. Dairo (February, 2015). Correlates of Intimate Partner Violence among HIV-positive Women in South West Nigeria. In Proceedings of the 5^th International Workshop on HIV and Women: Adolescence through Menopause, Seattle, W.A, USA, p: 11 (Oral)

3.     O. Ezebuka, N. Sam-Agudu, S. Erekaha, M. Dairo (March, 2015). Correlates of Intimate Partner Violence among HIV-positive Women in South West Nigeria. In Proceedings of the 6^th Annual CUGH Conference- Mobilizing Research for Global Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA (Oral)

4.     S. Erekaha, G. Adeyemo, A. Ibrahim, M. Fadare-Adeniyi, L. Rapoport, L. Cornelius, J. Okundaye, M. Charurat, W. Blattner, N. Sam-Agudu. (July, 2014) Just Ask Them: A Qualitative Survey on Readiness for Option B+ in Women Living with HIV in Rural Nigeria. In Proceedings of the 20^th International AIDS Conference, Melbourne, Australia, p, TUPE084 (Poster)

5.     Erekaha SC, Rapoport LB, Ibrahim A, Fadare-Adeniyi MJ, Adeyemo GD, Okundaye JN, Cornelius L, Blattner W, Charurat M, Sam-Agudu NA. (May, 2014) Client and Provider Perspectives on PMTCT service Usage in Rural North-Central Nigeria. In Proceedings of the Pediatric Academic Societies and Asian Society For Pediatric Research Joint meeting, Vancouver BC, Canada, p, 1520.298 (Poster)