Center for Translation and Implementation Research

Main Research Focus: Implementation research, Translation of research to policy and practice, Clinical trials of evidence-based interventions, Multi-centre studies

Title of Most Recent Research Project: Men’s Club: Impact of male partner involvement on initiation and sustainment of exclusive breastfeeding among HIV-infected postpartum women

Name of the Coordinator: Prof Echezona Ezeanolue

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

UNN email address of the Coordinator: echezona.ezeanolue@unn.edu.ng

Current webpage of the RG: www.unnctair.org

Phone number of the RG:

Phone Number of the Coordinator: +2348080138155

Base Faculty/Institute/Center: Medicine

Department of the Coordinator: Paediatrics

List and brief profile of Members:

  • Echezona Ezeanolue (Executive Director): Echezona Ezeanolue, MD, MPH is a clinician-scientist whose research focuses on implementation science to enhance effectiveness and quality of health services. He has broad experience in clinical research, implementation research, program implementation, program evaluation and effectiveness research.
  • Chima Onoka (Associate Director)
  • Ernest Onwasigwe (Member, Board of Trustees)
  • Uchenna Nwagha (Chair, Advisory Board)
  • Hyginus Ezegwui (Member, Advisory Board)
  • Prof Obinna Onodugo (Member, Advisory Board)
  • Tonia C. Onyeka (Program Manager): Tonia Onyeka is a Physician Anaesthetist, Pain Medicine and Palliative Medicine doctor. Employed by the University of Nigeria as an Associate Professor, she is the immediate past Head, Department of Anaesthesia as well as the founding and current Head of the Pain and Palliative Care Unit.  She is a member of several professional bodies including Technical Expert Group (TEG) that produced first-ever pain management guidelines for Nigerian healthcare professionals.
  • Izuchukwu Frank Obi (Assistant Director for Clinical Research): He is doing his postgraduate residency training in Community medicine and a skilled researcher.
  • Ijeoma Itanyi (Senior Research Fellow): She is a Nigerian and a US-trained clinician-scientist, an Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, and the Coordinator of the Research Management Office at the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN).
  • Chibuike Chigbu (Senior Research Fellow)
  • Cyril Dim (Senior Research Fellow) 
  • Nwamaka Lasebikan (Research Fellow)

 

Members Google Scholar/Pubmed Citation links:

https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=SrIzmOgAAAAJ&hl=en 

  • Ernest Onwasigwe:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=K1y-OogAAAAJ&hl=en

  • Uchenna Nwagha:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=z63wB0sAAAAJ&hl=en 

  • Hyginus Ezegwui:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=MwBtDZMAAAAJ&hl=en 

  • Tonia C. Onyeka:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Fm7YG2gAAAAJ&hl=en 

  • Chibuike Chigbu: 

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2YNe_-AAAAAJ&hl=en 

 

Members ResearchGate links:

 

Key publications:

  • Olawepo JO, Ezeanolue EE, Ekenna A, Ogunsola OO, Itanyi IU, Jedy-Agba E, d.Egbo E, Onwuchekwa C, Ezeonu A, Ajibola A, Olakunde BO, Majekodunmi O, Ogidi AG, Chukwuorji J, Lasebikan N, Dakum P, Okonkwo P, Oyeledun B, Oko J, Khamofu H, Ikpeazu A, Nwokwu UE, Aliyu G, Shittu O, Rositch AF, Powell BJ, Conserve DF, Aarons GA, Olutola A. Building a national framework for multicentre research and clinical trials: experience from the Nigeria Implementation Science Alliance. BMJ Glob Health. 2022 Apr;7(4): e008241. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-008241. PMID: 35450861; PMCID: PMC9024272.
  • Talla C, Itanyi IU, Tsuyuki K, Stadnick N, Ogidi AG, Olakunde BO, Patel D, Oko JO, Aarons G, Onoka CA, Ezeanolue EE. Hepatitis B infection and risk factors among pregnant women and their male partners in the Baby Shower Programme in Nigeria: a cross-sectional study. Trop Med Int Health. 2021 Mar;26(3):316-326. doi: 10.1111/tmi.13531. Epub 2020 Dec 10. PMID: 33247862; PMCID: PMC7925376.
  • Adeyemi OA, Itanyi IU, Ozigbu CE, Stadnick N, Tsuyuki K, Olayiwola O, Ogidi AG, Eze C, Aarons GA, Onoka CA, Ezeanolue EE. Sero-prevalence and determinants of Hepatitis B among a cohort of HIV-infected women of reproductive age in Nigeria. PLoS One. 2020 Sep 17;15(9): e0236456. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236456. PMID: 32941424; PMCID: PMC7498243.
  • Ezeanolue EE, Iheanacho T, Adedeji IA, Itanyi IU, Olakunde B, Patel D, Dakum P, Okonkwo P, Akinmurele T, Obiefune M, Khamofu H, Oyeledun B, Aina M, Eyo A, Oleribe O, Oko J, Olutola A, Gobir I, Aliyu MH, Aliyu G, Woelk G, Aarons G, Siberry G, Sturke R; Nigeria Implementation Science Alliance. Opportunities and challenges to integrating mental health into HIV programs in a low- and middle-income country: insights from the Nigeria implementation science Alliance. BMC Health Serv Res. 2020 Sep 29;20(1):904. doi: 10.1186/s12913-020-05750-0. PMID: 32993621; PMCID: PMC7526407.
  • Banigbe BF, Itanyi IU, Ofili EO, Ogidi AG, Patel D, Ezeanolue EE. High prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension among men in North Central Nigeria: Results from the Healthy Beginning Initiative. PLoS One. 2020 Nov 30;15(11): e0242870. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242870. PMID: 33253296; PMCID: PMC7703905.
  • Iheanacho T, Nduanya UC, Slinkard S, Ogidi AG, Patel D, Itanyi IU, Naeem F, Spiegelman D, Ezeanolue EE. Utilizing a church-based platform for mental health interventions: exploring the role of the clergy and the treatment preference of women with depression. Glob Ment Health (Camb). 2021 Feb 19;8: e5. doi: 10.1017/gmh.2021.4. PMID: 34026236; PMCID: PMC8127631.
  • Montandon M et al. Improving uptake of prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission services in Benue State, Nigeria through a faith-based congregational strategy. PLoS One. 2021 Dec 2;16(12): e0260694. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260694. PMID: 34855849; PMCID: PMC8638953.
  • Eboreime EA et al. Awareness of HIV serostatus by sex partners of women living with HIV in North-Central Nigeria: correlates and predictive analyses. J Biosoc Sci. 2022 Jul;54(4):572-582. doi: 10.1017/S0021932021000262. Epub 2021 Jun 24. PMID: 34162450; PMCID: PMC8702574.
  • Olakunde BO et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among pregnant women in Nigeria. PLoS One. 2021 Oct 29;16(10): e0259218. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259218. PMID: 34714888; PMCID: PMC8555786.
  • Ezenwosu OU et al. Community based screening for sickle haemoglobin among pregnant women in Benue State, Nigeria: I-Care-to-Know, a Healthy Beginning Initiative. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2021 Jul 8;21(1):498. doi: 10.1186/s12884-021-03974-4. PMID: 34238241; PMCID: PMC8268197.