"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 5th 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 5th 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 6th 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 20th 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)
