Dr. Nwoke is an entomologist and parasitologist and professor at Imo State University in Owerri, Nigeria.
Dr. Nwoke B.Sc. (Hons); MSc; PhD (Jos); OND (IMT); FRSTMH (UK); FPPSN (Nig), FSEH (Nig.), the first best graduate of Zoology, University of Jos (1979), started his academic career in 1981 with Imo State University Nigeria. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1990, Professor of Public Health Parasitology and Entomology in 1994. Dr. Nwoke has impressive scientific contributions in the biology, epidemiology and control of human parasitic diseases and their vectors. His works with colleagues on a biometric study of Onchocerca volvulus microfilariae from Nigeria using unclear count method and chromosomes of Onchocerca volvulus were great contributions epidemiological difference between Nigerian and Guatemalan onchocerciasis.
Dr. Nwoke’s study on onchocerciasis in Imo State in 1987/88 stimulated the establishment of River Blindness Foundation worldwide by the Moore family of USA. This metamorphosed into a global communicable disease control institution, Global 2000, Cater Centre, River Blindness Programme.
WHO, in 1991 appointed him principal investigator on rapid diagnosis of river blindness in Africa. This led to the development of Rapid Epidemiological Mapping of Onchocerciasis (REMO) adopted by WHO as the new and acceptable community diagnostic tool for Onchocerciasis control in tropical Africa. He was later in 1995 appointed the leading Consultant by WHO Geneva on REMO for the 19 endemic Africa countries under the auspices of the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control.
He is the Chairman, National Onchocerciasis Elimination Committee and Member, National Steering Committee on Neglected Tropical Diseases. He has successfully supervised 65 MSc, 20 MPH and 60 PhD Theses. He has to his credit 190 academic and professional publications. He is a Postdoctoral Fellow, WHO and Bill Gates Lymphatic Support Centre at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Distinguished Scientist of the Federal Ministry of Health in recognition of his pioneering efforts in River Blindness Control in Nigeria; Fellow, Parasitology and Public Health Society of Nigeria, Fellow, Nigerian Society for Environmental Health. He is Fellow Academy of Science (FAS) Elect.