University of Bedfordshire alumnus Lucky Gospel Amaugo, who graduated with a Masters degree in Public Health in November 2011, conducted the systematic review into the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS school-based sexual health education programmes in the African country.

“Nigeria has the third highest rate of HIV patients in the world and the Government has introduced a number of programmes to try and combat this,” said Lucky, who founded and runs, Relationship Builders International Foundation, offering young Nigerian people relationship and sexual health education.

“The main example is the sex education programmes they have introduced into schools across Nigeria. I undertook a review of the studies conducted from 2002 to 2012, which focused on the effectiveness of school-based sexual programmes in Nigeria to see if these programmes could lead to a reduction in HIV cases.

“The studies reviewed suggested that improving sexual health knowledge through targeted, focused school-based educational programs can positively impact on Nigerian school-going adolescents’ sexual health knowledge, attitudes and even their sexual health behaviour.”

His work has been published by a leading international public health journal – Oxford Journals Health Education Research.

Having spotted an advert on Oxford Journals’ website appealing for the submission of sexual health-related papers, Lucky set about editing his dissertation upon the advice and support of his former supervisor, Dr Chris Papadopoulos, as well as University lecturers, Dr Nasreen Ali and Dr Bertha Ochieng

Dr Papadopoulos concluded: “Lucky’s publication in Health Education Research – a leading public health journal – is testament to the very important piece of work he has produced. I hope this can serve as an inspiration to all of our students that producing and publishing high quality, transformative research can be a reality.”

Lucky, who lives in Luton, launched his charity in his homeland and said as well as targeting young people in Nigerian schools to raise awareness of sexual health, he is also doing the same at various locations in Luton.

For more information about Lucky’s charity visit www.relationshipbf.com – or view his online journal article in Oxford Journals Health Education Research