Elizabeth Ngugi
DiedMarch/April 2015
NationalityKenyan
Alma materColumbia Pacific University
Scientific career
InstitutionsKenyatta National Hospital, University of Nairobi, University of Manitoba

Elizabeth Ngugi (died 2015) was a Kenyan Professor of Community Health at the University of Nairobi, and a nurse by trade. Her major contributions to her university's program was her research and work with local prostitutes to prevent HIV/AIDS transmission.[1] Ngugi is described as the first Kenyan nurse to become a professor.[2]

Early career and education

Ngugi started nursing at the Kenyatta National Hospital in 1960, as the Sister in Charge of paediatric health.[2] In 1979 she was promoted to deputy chief nursing officer at the Ministry of Health.[2][3] In 1981, while still practicing as a nurse, Ngugi presented a paper about the emerging, new role of nurses in the Kenyan health system. She emphasized that the role of a nurse is not only caring for the patient, but engaging with and caring for the patient's family members as well.[4] Ngugi studied at Columbia Pacific University for her BA and Masters in Nursing Administration from 1983 to 1985, and earned a PhD in social work in 1989.[5][6] In 1986 she became a lecturer in the University of Nairobi, School of Public Health and was eventually promoted to the position of Kenyan national AIDS coordinator.[2][6]

Work against HIV/AIDS

Ngugi was involved in an international collaboration in Nairobi to engage with sex workers and help them to tackle sexual transmitted diseases.[1][3][6] She joined in 1984 as a nurse, and made efforts to reach out to sex workers instead of stigmatising them.[6][7] Much of Ngugi's research focused on these vulnerable communities, and she provided them with medical care, advice and free condoms in return for participation.[6] She was involved in research that studied the efficacy of a contraceptive sponge in preventing new HIV infections about Nairobi sex workers. The study found no evidence in the effectiveness of the contraceptive sponge in reducing infections.[8] By helping the sex workers to collectively demand condom use from their clients, their utilisation has soared from 4% to 90%, even though men often offer more money for unprotected sex.[7] Her empowering approach has been praised by public health experts.[7]

In 1984, Ngugi in collaboration with Frank Plummer from the University of Manitoba, helped establish the Majengo Clinic in Majengo, Kenya. The clinic has gone on to serve as a site for a multitude of HIV/AIDS research and as a site for sex workers to receive treatment and prevention services for sexually transmitted diseases.[9] Through this clinic, Ngugi worked in the forefront of treating sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea and chlamydia.[10] Ngugi and Frank Plummer from Manitoba published a study indicating levels of long-lived HIV resistance among Kenyan sex workers who work in Majengo, Nairobi.[11][12] Ngugi decried the fact that these women contribute so much to research but are still living in poverty and must sell their bodies to survive.[12]

In 1991 she became director of the collaborative HIV/AIDS effort with the University of Manitoba, a role she held until 2006.[2] Ngugi was promoted to Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba in her final year of directorship.[2] In 1992 Ngugi established HerStory (initially as the Kenya Voluntary Women Rehabilitation Centre) to support sex workers to escape prostitution with training, support and microfinance.[3][13][14][15] Now HerStory also looks after AIDS orphans.[3]

In 1992, Ngugi with Peter Piot, Jonathan Mann, Bila Kapita, Robert Colebunders co-authored "AIDS IN AFRICA: A manual for physicians" and published it through WHO for the purpose of aiding physicians in diagnosis and treatment of HIV/AIDS. The manual also served as an educational material for physicians on what should be expected and on the possible transmission methods of HIV.[16]

Ngugi established the University of Nairobi Centre of HIV Prevention and Research in 2006.[2] She also led the implementation of government efforts against HIV/AIDS including the building of ten drop-in centres for vulnerable populations in Northern/Eastern Kenya.[2]

Awards

For her contributions to public health in Kenya Ngugi has been awarded many accolades, including:

Personal life

Ngugi has a son who practises law in Nairobi.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 Piot, Peter (2012). No Time to Lose: A Life in Pursuit of Deadly Viruses. W. W. Norton. p. 113.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Ooko, Sarah. "Curtain falls on Prof Ngugi, HIV researcher and advocate". Business Daily. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Kiragu, Esther (2015-03-02). "Professor Elizabeth Ngugi: Empowering Female Sex Workers and AIDs Orphans". Parents Magazine Africa. Archived from the original on 2019-12-14. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  4. ↑ Ngugi, Elizabeth N. (1982). "Setting the pace: new approaches in nursing practice*". Journal of Advanced Nursing. 7 (3): 191–194. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.1982.tb00230.x. ISSN 1365-2648. PMID 6922134.
  5. ↑ "CURRICULUM VITAE, PROF. ELIZABETH NGUGI" (PDF). UONBI. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 June 2015. Retrieved 14 Dec 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Cohen, Jon (2000-06-23). "An Ambassador of Research". Science. 288 (5474): 2162. doi:10.1126/science.288.5474.2162. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 10896601. S2CID 153033248.
  7. 1 2 3 "Obama's confusing stumble in the fight against AIDS". MSNBC. 2013-04-24. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  8. ↑ Kreiss, Joan; Ngugi, Elizabeth; Holmes, King; Ndinya-Achola, Jeckoniah; Waiyaki, Peter; Roberts, Pacita L.; Ruminjo, Irene; Sajabi, Rose; Kimata, Joyce; Fleming, Thomas R.; Anzala, Aggrey (1992-07-22). "Efficacy of Nonoxynol 9 Contraceptive Sponge Use in Preventing Heterosexual Acquisition of HIV in Nairobi Prostitutes". JAMA. 268 (4): 477–482. doi:10.1001/jama.1992.03490040053025. ISSN 0098-7484. PMID 1320133.
  9. ↑ "Langind Page - Majengo Clinic - University of Manitoba". give.umanitoba.ca. Retrieved 2020-05-28.
  10. ↑ Nolen, Stephanie (January 7, 2006). "Sex slaves for science?". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  11. ↑ Fowke, Keith R; Nagelkerke, Nico JD; Kimani, Joshua; Simonsen, J Neil; Anzala, Aggrey O; Bwayo, Job J; MacDonald, Kelly S; Ngugi, Elizabeth N; Plummer, Francis A (1996-11-16). "Resistance to HIV-1 infection among persistently seronegative prostitutes in Nairobi, Kenya". The Lancet. 348 (9038): 1347–1351. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(95)12269-2. ISSN 0140-6736. PMID 8918278. S2CID 21584303.
  12. 1 2 Nolen, Stephanie (2007-05-27). "Staying alive: the women who are immune to Aids". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  13. 1 2 "Who We Are". KVOWRC. 2012-03-13. Archived from the original on 2019-12-14. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  14. ↑ Mastin, Teresa; Murphy, Alexandra G.; Riplinger, Andrew J.; Ngugi, Elizabeth (2016-03-03). "Having Their Say: Sex Workers Discuss Their Needs and Resources". Health Care for Women International. 37 (3): 343–363. doi:10.1080/07399332.2015.1020538. ISSN 0739-9332. PMID 25719732. S2CID 36035922.
  15. ↑ "Sharing skills, support and hope". www.unaids.org. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  16. ↑ Piot, Peter, Kapita, Bila M, Ngugi, Elizabeth N, Mann, Jonathan M, Colebunders, Robert. et al. (1992). AIDS in Africa : a manual for physicians. World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/40034
  17. ↑ Maajabu, Guru (2015-07-14). "UN Person of the Year Award". United Nations Information Center Nairobi. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
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