NHEF News
07-21-2007
:: NHEF Board Member, Dr. Vincent Idemyor, awarded the Medical Award of The Year
Dr. Vincent Idemyor, who for many years has been involved in combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Nigeria and the United States, today received the Medical Award of the Year from the Washington-based National Technical Association at the organization�s national conference in Baltimore.
Dr. Idemyor, a clinical pharmacologist and HIV research scientist who divides his time between Nigeria and Chicago, was recognized for his contributions to HIV/AIDS research, training, treatment and prevention activities in both Nigeria and the United States.
Dr. Idemyor is on the clinical faculty of the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, in the Department of Medicine Section of Infectious Diseases. He is also a Visiting Professor at the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. He has organized conferences in Nigeria to train professionals about HIV and AIDS. For many years he has been involved in the clinical trials development of new pharmaceuticals. He recently was the Lead International Consultant of a definitive study of Nigeria�s national effort to combat HIV infection and AIDS, funded by the United Nations System in Nigeria.
In his speech at the award ceremony, Dr. Idemyor spoke about the theme of the National Technical Association�s conference: Bridging the Gap: Scientific and Technical Literacy for the 21st Century. �The seeming exponential increase in the technical and scientific complexity of daily living and professional existence demands a new look at the extent of public funding at all levels of education,� Idemyor said at the presentation of the award.
�A dispassionate scientific look at the effects of increasing the extent of public funding at all levels of education is the first step to closing the scientific and technical divides that affect all societies today everywhere,� Idemyor said. Idemyor mentioned that people with good science education are more likely to be receptive to public health efforts to prevent and combat malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.
Idemyor mentioned to the audience that the new presidential and vice-presidential leadership of Nigeria have strong science background and advanced scientific degrees and that the new government is planning to base decisions during their administration on solid science. Idemyor believes that Nigeria�s progress can be assisted by calling upon Nigerian scholars and scientists in the Diaspora to now return to Nigeria to share their expertise.
Dr. Idemyor was born and grew up in Nigeria during his teenage years. He received his undergraduate and professional university education in the United States. Idemyor is a Board Member of the United States based Nigeria Higher Education Foundation. In August 2007, HIV Clinical Trials: An International Journal for Clinical Research in HIV/AIDS Therapeutics will publish Idemyor�s article titled �Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Malaria Interaction in sub-Saharan Africa: The Collision of Two Titans�.
The National Technical Association website may be viewed at ntaonline.org Dr. Idemyor is available for telephone interviews at or (USA cell phone)
Dr. Idemyor may be reached by e-mail at IDEMYOR@JUNO.COM