Who Am I

Honors: JEDI Fellow

PhD Major: Environmental & Radiological Health Sciences

A Bit About Me

I am a 2^nd Year PhD student in Enviromental and Radiological Health Sciences,  with a specialization in Epidemiology. My research with Dr. Jessica Elf focuses on exploring some of the perceived barriers to smoking cessation among HIV infected smokers in South Africa. I received my BSc in Medical Laboratory sciences from Imo State University in Nigeria, after which I spent over four years working as clinical laboratory scientist in Nigeria, before receiving my MPH in Epidemiology/Biostatistics from the Cyprus University of Technology.

What I Hope To Do

As part of an ongoing randomized controlled trial: Evaluating smoking cessation interventions for people with HIV in South Africa: Efficacy, implementation, and cost-effectiveness (NCI U01CA261626; MPIs: Golub, Martinson; Co-Investigator Elf), I will be facilitating a focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with behavioral and peer counselors to access their perceptions about behavioural counselling, peer support, combination nicotine replacement therapy and varenicline for HIV-infected smokers in South Africa, as well as some of the perceived barriers to smoking cessation for HIV infected smokers in South Africa.

My Personal Thanks

My personal thanks go to the leadership of the African center for this wonderful opportunity to keep contributing to improving the health of vulnerable groups in Africa. Also I will like to thank my advisor and mentor, Dr. Jessica Elf for recommending me for this award.