Dr-(Mrs.)-Chinyere-Veronica-Ezeaka

Dr (Mrs.) Chinyere Veronica Ezeaka is the quintessential woman of merit. She is a distinguished scholar and a medical professional with a lot of accomplishments. She is currently a Professor of Paediatrics at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos. She holds the complementary post of Consultant Paediatrician in the Department of Paediatrics, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba, Lagos.

Chinyere is an indigene of Achina in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra state. She was born to the late Sir Joseph and Lady Patricia Umeh. Her primary education was at Zik’s Avenue Primary School, Uwani Enugu, after which she attended Girls’ High School, Awkunanaw, Enugu. She obtained the Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) from the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. As a student, she won many academic awards including the Federal Government Academic Merit Scholarship.

A veritable intellectual with a dynamic personality, Dr Chinyere Ezeaka had her postgraduate residency training at the Department of Paediatrics, Lagos University Teaching Hospital and passed all the qualifying professional examinations at first attempt. She holds the Fellowship of the West African College of Physicians (FWACP) in Paediatrics, and also a Master of Public Health degree (MPH) from the University of Lagos.

Her service and research interests are in Neonatology, Community Paediatrics, General Paediatrics and Preventive of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT). She has attended numerous national and international seminars, conferences and workshops in these fields and has several scholarly publications to her credit. She is an influential resource person, and has featured in many television, raido and print media interviews and talk shows. She has done a lot in her zeal to promote improved newborn care in Nigeria.

She has attended various neonatology update courses and has done professional clinical attachments in the Newborn Intension Care Unit of King George Hospital IIford, Essex, United Kingdom, (2003). She was at the Special Newborn Care Unit of Elmhurst Hospital, Queens, New York, U.S.A. (2004).

Dr Ezeaka is a consultant to several government establishment and development agencies including the Federal Ministry of Health, ACCESS/Save the Children, USA/UK, UNICEF and the World Health Organization. She is an expert in the areas of reduction of neonatal and child mortality in Nigeria, newborn resuscitation and PMTCT. She was the lead consultant of the core team that complied the Nigerian Newborn Situation Analysis and Action Plan (in the context of the IMNCH Strategy).

In April, 2009, she made a presentation on Newborn Mortality in Nigeria to the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Hajia Turai Yar’adua and the Wives of the State Governors at a workshop on the Promotion of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health held at the State House, Aso Rock, Abuja.

She is a member of several professional bodies including, Paediatrics Association of Nigeria. Nigerian Society of Neonatal Medicine, Nigerian Medical and Dental Association, Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, International AIDS Society, American Public Health Association and the Global Health Council Washington, USA.

She is a devout Catholic and is married with children to Chief Bonny Nwabueze Ezeaka, an accountant cum businessman. She plans to continue to touch many lives mostly in the area of newborn health and general paediatrics through public service and by personal initiative as well.

In the year, 2010, this extraordinary woman was honoured with the Woman of Merit Gold Award by PSR Magazine.