Health Policy Research Group (HPRG)

Main Research Focus: Health Policy and Systems Research, Health Economics and Implementation Research. We have a strong track record in evaluating policies, implementing strategies and designing interventions for improving access to quality health services. Our mission is to improve people’s health and well-being through research, training, and services. 

Title of Most Recent Research Project: Cross-Programmatic Efficiency Analysis (CPEA) of health programmes.

Other Projects:

1. African Health Observatory Platform (AHOP, Nigeria)
2. African Journal of Health Economics
3. Urban Health
4. Health Sector Corruption
5. WHO/TDR-Capacity Building FOR Producers and Users of Health Policy and Systems
6. Health Policy and Systems Research
7. Sexual/Reproductive/Maternal/Child and Adolescent Health

Name of the Coordinator: Prof Obinna Onwujekwe, FAMedS, FAS

UNN email address of the RG: hprg@unn.edu.ng

UNN email address of the Coordinator: obinna.onwujekwe@unn.edu.ng

Current webpages of the RG: http://www.unn.edu.ng/the-health-policy-research-group-hprg/

2^nd webpage: https://hprgunn.com/

Phone number of the RG: +234 809 700 7771

Phone Number of the Coordinator: +234 803 700 7771

Base Faculty/Institute/Center: Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences

Department of the Coordinator: Pharmacology and Therapeutics

Headshot of the coordinator:

BRIEF PROFILES OF MEMBERS

• Professor Obinna Emanuel Onwujekwe, Fellow, Nigerian Academy of Science (FAS) and Fellow, the Academy of Medicine Specialties of Nigeria (FAMedS). Professor Obinna Onwujekwe is medically qualified but also has MSc and PhD in Health Economics. He is a Professor of Pharmacoeconomics/ Pharmacoepidemiology in Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and Professor of Health Economics, Systems & Policy in the Department of Health Administration and Management, both at the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus. He is an adjunct Professor of Health Policy and Systems with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos. He is also the Director of Research in the University of Nigeria, the Coordinator of the Health Policy Research Group and the President of the Nigerian Health Economics Association. He was the technical facilitator of the 2014 Presidential Summit on Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria. He was a member of the WHO/AFRO Task Force on Immunization (TFI), WHO, Brazzaville, September 2009 to 2013. He is a member of board of the African Health Economics and Policy Association (AfHEA) and the Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria (HERFON). He is also the Director of the Nigerian National Centre on Health Policy and Systems, University of Nigeria, which is part of the African Health Observatory Platform (AHOP) on Health Systems. He is a member of the African Advisory Committee on Health Research and Development (AACHRD) of WHO AFRO. He was a member of the Ministerial Expert Advisory Committee on COVID-19 (MEACOC), the National Health Research Committee and the COVID-19 Socio-economy working group of African Scientific Research and Innovation Council of the African Union. He is the editor of the African Journal of Health Economics. He has published more than 400 journal articles. He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science and the Academy of Medicine Specialties of Nigeria.

Online profiles:

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Obinna_Onwujekwe

http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=lVcCp5gAAAAJ&hl=en

https://unn-ng.academia.edu/ObinnaOnwujekwe

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Onwujekwe+O&sort=pubdate

• Professor Benjamin Uzochukwu, FAMedS, FAS. He qualified as a medical doctor in 1983 and obtained his Diploma in Public Administration in 1996 and Master of Public Health degree in 2000 as well as Certificate in Health Policy Analysis. He is a Fellow of the West African College of Physicians and Consultant Community Medicine Physician at the University of Nigeria, Teaching Hospital Enugu. He is also a Professor of Public Health, Health Policy and Systems in the Department of Community Medicine and Health Administration & Management, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus where he teaches Health Management and Health Policy and systems. He is also the assistant coordinator of the Health Policy Research Group. He has been working in public health for over 20 years. He is a foundation member of the Association of Schools of Public in Africa (ASPHA) and in the board of Health Systems Global. He is the 86th inaugural lecturer of the University of Nigeria Nsukka and the pioneer Director of the Institute of Public health of same university.

ResearchGate link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Benjamin-Uzochukwu

Google scholar citation link: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=S6_Se88AAAAJ&hl=en

·         Professor Chinyere Mbachu

Prof Chinyere Mbachu graduated from medical school in August, 2004 and joined University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in 2008 to undertake a fellowship training programme in community health. She became a Fellow of the West African College of Physicians (FWACP) in Community Health in 2013 and practiced as a consultant Community Health physician for 3 years at the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki. She taught health management and primary health care modules to undergraduate medical students in Ebonyi state University as a part-time lecturer for two and half years after which she was appointed a Senior lecturer in the Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine University of Nigeria Enugu campus. Her early career contributions have focused on applying knowledge and skills in building the field of health policy and systems research in Nigeria and building the capacity of policy makers and practitioners in the use of evidence for policymaking and practice. She has also spent considerable amount of time training undergraduate and postgraduate medical doctors in community health. She participated in developing the curriculum for “Introduction to health policy and systems research” and “Introduction to Complex Health Systems” available on the CHEPSAA website www.hpsa-africa.com

Her main research interests on health systems governance and accountability; analysis of health policies, plans and strategies; political economy analysis of health reforms; health services research including evaluation of malaria control interventions; and getting research evidence into policy and practice. She is currently a member of the following national and international professional associations: Association of Public Health Physicians in Nigeria; West African Emerging HPS Research and Practice Network (WANEL); RESYST Consortium; Health Systems Global; and Collaboration for Health Policy and Systems Analysis in Africa.

Google scholar citation link: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=YrVQxUAAAAAJ&hl=en

ResearchGate link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chinyere-Mbachu-2

• Professor Chima Onoka

Chima Ariel Onoka graduated with MBBS degree from University of Port-Harcourt Nigeria in 2000 and obtained a Master of Science degree in Health Policy Planning and Financing from the University of London (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and London School of Economics and Political Science) and a PhD in health systems economics from the University of London. He also has MPH degree from the University of Nigeria, Enugu, and is a fellow of the West African College of Physicians (Community Medicine) where he also serves as examiner. He is a Senior Lecturer in the health systems, policy and management unit of the Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria and a Consultant Public Health Physician with the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital. As a community physician, he also specially focuses on the policy and management systems for provision and delivery of various disease control programmes and health interventions. As operational head for research for several years with the Health Policy Research Group, College of Medicine University of Nigeria Enugu campus, he led the field component of several small to large scale studies focused on healthcare financing and equity, funded by local and international organisations including the World Health Organisation and the UK Department for International Development. He has served as consultant to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (health financing unit), Federal Ministry of Health (department of planning, research and statistics), PATHS2 (Abt Associates) and Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria (HERFON). He also served for 2 years as country researcher for IHP+ Results. He managed the field work for the evaluation of the Axios supply chain management systems in 2010 and was the lead consultant for the Joint Annual Review of the health sector for Lagos State Nigeria in 2012. He has also served as principal investigator for studies funded by the Wellcome Trust UK (Economics of IPTp for malaria Coverage), and the WHO Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research (Analysing Efforts towards Universal Coverage Reforms in Nigeria). He has recently researched the policy development processes of the National Health Insurance Scheme in Nigeria and the role of the private sector in national health financing systems, and was one of the theme speakers at the 57th National Council on Health, which is the highest policy advisory body for the health sector in Nigeria.

ResearchGate link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chima-Onoka

• Prof Edozie Ajaero

Chukwuedozie Kelechukwu Ajaero is a Senior Research Fellow at Resource and Environmental Policy Research Centre (REPRC) EfD-Nigeria. He is Professor of Population Geography and the Deputy Provost of the College of Postgraduate Studies, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN). He was a Postdoctoral Fellow and Visiting Scholar with the Demography and Population Studies Programme of the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. 

Ajaero’s areas of research include migration and livelihood studies, displacements and socioecological conflicts, human trafficking, public health, health policy and quality of life, and population-environment linkages.

Chair 5 master’s and more than twenty five undergraduate theses. Participated in committees of  over 30+ theses, including 18 Ph.Ds in Population Geography, Environmental Management, and other areas of Geography.

Google scholar citation link: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=zc74xbMAAAAJ&hl=en

ResearchGate link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chukwuedozie-Ajaero

• Associate Professor Enyi Etiaba

Enyi Etiaba graduated from University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus with an MBBS degree in 1988. She obtained her Certificate in General Medical Practice (Family Medicine) of Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practitioners, London, UK in 2003 and MSc degree from University of London, United Kingdom in 2009. She holds the DLSHTM from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK in 2010. She obtained Certificate courses from the University of Western Cape South Africa in: Introduction to Complex Health Systems 2014; Health Management 2017; Understanding and Analysing Health Policy 2017; Introduction to Health Policy and Systems Research 2017.

Dr. Etiaba presently lectures in Epidemiology and Research Methods/Biostatistics at the Department of Health Administration and Management, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus but has a keen interest in policy issues and policy implementation. She is also a senior researcher with the Health Policy Group, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. In addition to teaching skills, she has research skills and project management skills and have been involved in monitoring of various projects in the course of my work. Her ongoing research include capacity building of producers and users of evidence in Health Policy and Systems Research and Analysis for better control of endemic tropical diseases-An implementation research; Determinants of Effectiveness and Sustainability of a Novel Community Health Workers Programme in improving Maternal and Child Health in Nigeria.- A Realist Evaluation. She is a Research Fellow of the Institute.

Google scholar citation link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Enyi-Etiaba-2

ResearchGate link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Enyi-Etiaba-2

• Prof Victor Udem Onyebueke

Victor Udemezue Onyebueke is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning of the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (Nigeria), where he is involved in teaching, research and consultancy. Dr. Onyebueke holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Nigeria. He has since obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Urban Land Policy & Implementation at the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (now IHS-Erasmus University) in Rotterdam, Netherlands (June, 2006) and a Ph.D. in Geography and Environmental Science from the Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa (December, 2013). His research interests include globalisation, urban land use dynamics, urban informality and inclusive planning. He co-authored a chapter in the recent book, Planning and the Case Study Method in Africa: The Planners in Dirty Shoes (Palgrave MacMillan, 2014) edited by James Duminy, et al., on the coercive and contradictory practices of planning in (re)locating informal businesses in Enugu, Nigeria. Dr Onyebueke’s articles have appeared in several journals, including Cities (Elsevier), Urban Forum (Springer), and Habitat International (Elsevier). The title of his current research, as a Visiting Fellow at the African Studies Centre (ASC), Leiden, is “Globalisation, Football and emerging urban ‘tribes’: Fans of the European Leagues in a Nigerian city”.

Google scholar citation link: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=z7QeJpgAAAAJ&hl=en

ResearchGate link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Victor-Onyebueke

• Dr Charles Ezenduka

ResearchGate link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Charles-Ezenduka

Google scholar citation link: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Jq3b7I8AAAAJ&hl=en

• Dr Chinyere Okeke

Dr. Okeke Chinyere Cecilia graduated from the University of Calabar as a medical doctor in 2007 and obtained her Master of Public Health degree from the University of Nigeria Nsukka in 2015. She obtained a Certificate in Health Policy Analysis from the University of Western Cape in 2016. She is a Fellow of the West African College of Physician (Community Health). She is currently a lecturer in the Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine of the University of Nigeria.

She is involved in Clinical Consultation (general care), outpatient and inpatient care in both chest, staff and HIV clinics of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital; teaching and research in communicable and non-communicable diseases. Over the past three years, she has been lecturing medical students and community health officers and has supervised medical students’ projects.

She has been involved in a lot of projects including Developing the study manual for the Realist evaluation of MCH programs in Nigeria – REVAMP project (MRC & DFID funded) in Anambra State, Nigeria; assessment of the NHIS-MDG free Maternal and Child Health program and the prospects for program re-activation/scale-up using the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (Bill & Melinda Gate Foundation Funded) and the Nigerian Primary Care Systems Profiles & Performance (PRIMASYS) funded by the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research. Geneva, Switzerland. She was also involved in the development of modules on prevention of viral hepatitis for the training of health workers on Hepatitis infection in Nigeria for the federal Ministry of Health and the development of the Strategic Health Development Plan of Enugu State Nigeria.

She is a member of the following professional associations: Nigerian Medical Association, Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria, International Health Economics Association and Health Systems Global. Her research interest is Health Policy and Systems Research and Analysis as well as knowledge translation.

ResearchGate link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chinyere-Okeke-4

• Uche Ezenwaka

ResearchGate link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Uchenna-Ezenwaka

• Ifeyinwa Arize

Google scholar citation: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ddA14zkAAAAJ&hl=en

Researchgate link:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ifeyinwa-Arize

• Dr Prince Agwu

Google scholar citation link: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=q_rrL-0AAAAJ&hl=en

ResearchGate link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Prince-Agwu

• Dr Aloysius Odii

Aloysius Odii holds a Ph.D. in Demography and Population studies from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is a passionate researcher and teacher. His research interest includes Sexual and Reproductive Health, Health Systems, Corruption, and Migration.

Google scholar citation link: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=_Qcmdl0AAAAJ&hl=en

ResearchGate link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Aloysius-Odii

• Dr Charles Orjiakor

Researchgate link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tochukwu-Orjiakor

Google scholar citation link: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=zQolRZ0AAAAJ&hl=en

• Dr Chukwudi Nwokolo

ResearchGate link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chukwudi-Nwokolo

• Dr Divine Obodoechi

Google scholar citation link: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=pVH3fzUAAAAJ&hl=en

• Ifunanya Agu
• Iheomimichineke Ojiakor
• Chinelo Obi
• Okechukwu Ozor

10 key publications of the RG from 2019 till date:

• Onwujekwe, Obinna & Agwu, Prince & Orjiakor, Tochukwu & Mckee, Martin & Hutchinson, Eleanor & Mbachu, Chinyere & Odii, Aloysius & Ogbozor, Pamela & Obi, Uche & Ichoku, Hyacinth & Balabanova, Dina. (2019). Corruption in Anglophone West Africa health systems: A systematic review of its different variants and the factors that sustain them. Health policy and planning. 34. 10.1093/heapol/czz070.
• Eze, Irene & Okeke, Chinyere & Ekwueme, Chinazom & Mbachu, Chinyere & Onwujekwe, Obinna. (2023). Acceptability of a community-embedded intervention for improving adolescent sexual and reproductive health in south-east Nigeria: A qualitative study. PLOS ONE. 18. E0295762. 10.1371/journal.pone.0295762.
• Agu, Ifunanya & Agu, Chibuike & Mbachu, Chinyere & Onwujekwe, Obinna. (2023). Impact of a capacity-building intervention on views and perceptions of healthcare providers towards the provision of adolescent sexual and reproductive health services in southeast Nigeria: a cross-sectional qualitative study. BMJ Open. 13. e073586. 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-073586.
• Ogbozor, Pamela & Hutchinson, Eleanor & Goodman, Catherine & McKee, Martin & Onwujekwe, Obinna & Balabanova, Dina. (2023). The nature, drivers and equity consequences of informal payments for maternal and child health care in primary health centres in Enugu, Nigeria. Health Policy and Planning. 38. ii62-ii71. 10.1093/heapol/czad048.
• Onwujekwe, Obinna & Orjiakor, Tochukwu & Ogbozor, Pamela & Agu, Ifunanya & Agwu, Prince & Wright, Tom & Balabanova, Dina & Kohler, Jillian. (2023). Examining corruption risks in the procurement and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in select states in Nigeria. Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice. 16. 10.1186/s40545-023-00649-7.
• Agwu, Prince & Onwujekwe, Obinna & Obi, Uche & McKee, Martin & Odii, Aloysius & Orjiakor, Tochukwu & Hutchinson, Eleanor & Balabanova, Dina. (2023). Targeting systems not individuals: Institutional and structural drivers of absenteeism among primary healthcare workers in Nigeria. The International journal of health planning and management. 10.1002/hpm.3736.
• Onwujekwe, Obinna & Mbachu, Chinyere & Okeibunor, Joseph & Ezema, Godwin & Ejiofor, Nonso & Braka, Fiona & Thiam, Adama & Koua, Etien & Chamla, Dick & Gueye, Abdou. (2023). What are the research priorities for strengthening public health emergency preparedness and response in Africa?. Health Research Policy and Systems. 21. 10.1186/s12961-023-01059-6.
• Orjiakor, Tochukwu & Onwujekwe, Obinna & McKee, Martin & Hutchison, Eleanor & Agwu, Prince & Balabanova, Dina. (2023). “I can’t kill myself”: Local narratives and meanings that foster absenteeism in Nigerian primary health centres. Journal of Global Health. 13. 10.7189/jogh.13.04129.
• Onwujekwe, Obinna & Mbachu, Chinyere & Etiaba, Enyi & Ezumah, Nkoli & Ezenwaka, Uchenna & Arize, Ifeyinwa & Okeke, Chinyere & Nwankwor, Chikezie & Uzochukwu, Benjamin. (2020). Impact of capacity building interventions on individual and organizational competency for HPSR in endemic disease control in Nigeria: a qualitative study. Implementation Science. 15. 10.1186/s13012-020-00987-z.
• Onwujekwe, Obinna & Agwu, Prince & Roy, Pallavi & Hutchinson, Eleanor & Orjiakor, Tochukwu & McKee, Martin & Odii, Aloysius & Nwokolo, Chukwudi & Khan, Mushtaq & Mayhew, Susannah & Balabanova, Dina. (2023). The Promise of Grassroots Approaches to Solving Absenteeism in Primary Health-Care Facilities in Nigeria: Evidence from a Qualitative Study. Health Systems & Reform. 9. 10.1080/23288604.2023.2199515.