Raphael Chinedu Anakwue, is a scientist, a Professor of Medicine and an academic leader. He is a cardiologist and clinical pharmacologist in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu. He was Head, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics; member of many university committees and was appointed Dean of Faculty in 2023.

Prof Anakwue, as founding Dean of the Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, set developmental and strategic goals of the Faculty. The 3rd MBBS results of the first two years as Dean represented the best in the Medical College. Within the first year of appointment he secured approval for four new postgraduate programmes in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics and reactivated a previously approved post graduate programme in the Department of Haematology and Immunology. The conceptualization and design of these programmes are to support the university’s aim to achieve global competitiveness and international  leverage in research and development. He has maintained academic interest since appointment and has trained many postgraduate students in cardiology and cardiovascular pharmacology.

He is Head, Hypertension and Diabetes Research Group University of Nigeria; Head Environment and Health Research Group University of Nigeria. Prof Anakwue was one of the first scientists in Africa to point out that exposure to environmental pollutants, climate change and other environmental stressors can impact the cardiovascular system and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

He is the lead consultant in Prof Anakwue/Prof Oguanobi/Dr Udorah’s unit. This is a general cardiology unit that manages different types of cardiovascular diseases and is also involved in the Open-heart Surgery Programme of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital. Prof Anakwue pioneered the establishment of Dedicated Anticoagulation Service in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, this being the first multidisciplinary clinic in Nigeria that specifically manages patients needing anticoagulation. The Service also has a Pulmonary Embolism unit.

Prof Anakwue started the Cardio-Oncology Services in UNTH Enugu. He has trained the first Cardiooncologist in Nigeria. Cardiooncology aims to address the cardiovascular complications that can arise from cancer treatment as well as the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in cancer survivors. Prof Anakwue was also Chairman, Drug and Therapeutics Committee, UNTH.

He started his medical education in the University of Nigeria College of Medicine in 1980, graduating with MBBS in 1986. He obtained M.Sc in Clinical Pharmacology in 2004. He had post graduate training in Internal medicine and Cardiology obtaining clinical Membership of West African College of Physicians in 2004, Fellow of West African College of Physicians in Cardiology in 2007. He had further training in Wockhardt Heart Hospital, India in 2011; Cleveland Clinic Heart and Vascular Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA In 2013.

He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Cardiac Society, member of the European Society of Cardiology, member of the West African Society of Pharmacology, member of the American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

He has published widely in cardiology and cardiovascular pharmacology and toxicology and co-authored three books. His current area of research is blind spots in Cardiovascular disease risk profiling, including air pollutants, pesticides pollution, microplastics and cardiooncology.

Professor Raphael Chinedu 
Anakwue, MBBS, MSc, FWACP,FNCS

Cardiovascular
Pharmacologist and Cardiologist

FOUNDING DEAN