Director of UNLV HIV program kicked off campus

The maternal-HIV program at UNLV that was suspended by the university six weeks ago without notice is now without a director.

The university on Monday placed Dr. Echezona Ezeanolue, the program’s director, and Dina Patel, a pediatric nurse practitioner, on administrative leave. They were escorted off the campus, according to their attorney, Jacob Hafter.

Hafter said Shawn Gerstenberger, dean of the school of community health sciences, asked the university to prosecute Ezeanolue and Patel for various “unsubstantiated claims of wrongdoing.”

“The documents are not supported by a shred of evidence, nor do they include a list of witnesses who may testify as to the allegations contained therein,” Hafter said.

Monday’s action by university officials coincided with the news that Dr. Barbara Atkinson, founding dean of UNLV’s medical school, is returning to her post on Wednesday.

She’s been out of the position for four months following a major health scare, and Gerstenberger, has been acting dean of the medical school since August. That’s in addition to his role with the school of community health sciences — which oversees the maternal-HIV program.

The grant-funded program, which provides outpatient HIV primary care services to low-income, vulnerable and medically underserved women, infants, children and youth, was suspended by the university six weeks ago with no notice to Ezeanolue, Patel or their 62 patients.

The university has provided little answer as to why.

President Len Jessup said previously that there were irregularities with the way the grant is being administered. Gerstenberger said an administrative audit is underway.

Expected return

A medical school spokesman said Atkinson’s return is not tied to the suspension of the maternal-HIV program, and that she had been expected to return in November.

“The immediate success of the School of Medicine is a reflection of Barbara’s tireless commitment to building an exceptional team and developing a program our community can be proud of, and we’re pleased to welcome her back,” Jessup said in a statement. “I’m incredibly proud of how school staff, acting dean Shawn Gerstenberger, and the entire university community rallied to launch the inaugural class and continue the school’s momentum during Barbara’s absence.”

A second university spokesman said Gerstenberger will remain as dean of the school of community health sciences and will continue to assist medical school leadership as needed.

The action to place Patel and Ezeanolue on administrative leave, however, comes a few days after a lawsuit was filed on behalf of a 4-year-old girl to ask to the court to force the reinstatement of the program.

Hafter said Ezeanolue and Patel have 10 days to prepare themselves to defend the charges.

Gerstenberger and Jessup did not respond to requests for comment.

Contact Natalie Bruzda at nbruzda@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3897. Follow @NatalieBruzda on Twitter.