OUR FELLOWS
Ebere Ekweagwu, a mother of three children and a passionate nutritionist, is frustrated that so many Nigerian children suffer from hunger and malnutrition, and risk losing their eyesight due to onchocerciasis, or river blindness, all conditions that can be prevented. In her research as a part-time master’s student at UNN, she is studying the nutritional and health status of children in onchocerciasis-endemic communities in southeast Nigeria, with the hope of bringing change.
Patients with the disease, including children, are treated with ivermectin, a strong drug that kills the larvae of the worms that can live in the body for up to 15 years,” explains Ekweagwu. “Our research is focused on comparing the nutritional and health status of children who are taking ivermectin with those who are not, as well as looking at socio-economic factors.
Field of Research
Accessing the nutritional and health status of children in onchocerciasis-endemic communities in southeast Nigeria, with the aim of engaging in educational programming to inform rural women about proper child nutrition and development.