Obinna Ekwunife Ph.D.

Obinna Ekwunife

Obinna Ekwunife
Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Medicine

Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences


Specialty/Research Focus

Adolescent Medicine; Community Based Participatory Research; Community Health Research; Community Pharmacy; Global Health; Health Disparities Research; Health Outcomes Research; Health Services Research; Implementation Science; Program Evaluation; Public Health; Qualitative Methods

Contact Information
UB Downtown Gateway
77 Goodell St
Buffalo, New York 14203
Phone: 7168295729
ekwunife@buffalo.edu



Professional Summary:

Dr. Obinna Ekwunife is a health economist and implementation scientist, currently serving as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Population Health, at the University at Buffalo. His research focuses on developing, testing, and implementing cost-effective strategies to address health inequalities in adults with chronic diseases. He works on establishing cost-effective interventions to inform decision-making, particularly in low-income and marginalized settings. He also focuses on implementing strategies to enhance access to health interventions for underserved populations. As the health economist in a multidisciplinary research team focused on improving health equity, he employs econometric methodologies to identify cost-effective interventions that improve health outcomes and population health.

His ongoing project in Nigeria explores the potential of private community pharmacies as a novel avenue for PrEP delivery, specifically targeting young individuals at high risk of HIV acquisition to improve accessibility. This project aims to establish a tailored care pathway for pharmacy-delivered PrEP and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) by adapting a successful Kenyan model.

Education and Training:

  • Fellowship, Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (2024)
  • Certificate, Certificate in Health Economics & Outcomes Research, University of Washington Professional & Continuing Education (2023)
  • Certificate, Professional Certificate Program in Data Science, Purdue University/Simplilearn (2023)
  • Fellowship, Takemi Fellowship, Harvard School of Public Health (2022)
  • Fellowship, Postdoctoral Fellowship, Leibniz Institute of Preventive Research and Epidemiology (BIPS)/University of Bremen (2016)
  • PhD, Health Economics, University of Nigeria (2012)
  • MS, Clinical Pharmacy, University of Nigeria (2008)
  • BPharm, Pharmacy, University of Nigeria (2004)

UB 2020 Strategic Strengths:

  • Civic Engagement and Public Policy
  • Health and Wellness Across the Lifespan

Grants and Sponsored Research:

  • Enhancing PrEP Access for At-Risk Young People through Pharmacy-delivered Oral PrEP in Nigeria
    University of Washington/Fred Hutch Center for AIDS Research (CFAR)
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $80,000
  • Cardiovascular Risk Reduction for Adults with Food Insecurity Using Structured Incentives (CVD-FIT)
    NIH NIMHD
    Role: Co-Investigator
    $3,275,405

Journal Articles:

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Contact Information

UB Downtown Gateway
77 Goodell St
Buffalo, New York 14203
Phone: 7168295729
ekwunife@buffalo.edu